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A swarm of dragonflies overtook a popular Rhode Island beach on Saturday, throwing chaos into an otherwise serene day for beachgoers.
Video footage captured at Misquamicut State Beach, located roughly 50 miles from Providence, showed thousands of bugs buzzing through the crowded beach, sending some scurrying away while others covered themselves in towels.
“I was enjoying a nice day at Misquamicut State Beach until we endured a dragonfly apocalypse,” Stephanie Martin told NewsCentre 5.
By about 12.45pm, there were “millions”, according to Helene Dombrowski, who was among those filming the bizarre event on their phones.
The bugs, identified as Common Green Darner dragonflies, travel across North America during summer to mate, traversing rivers, ponds, and other bodies of water at speeds of up to 18 mph. The carnivorous hunters, which can grow up to 5 inches long, typically prey on mosquitoes, moths, and even small fish.
“I was in the middle of this with relatives visiting from Germany. We all thought it was an amazing natural display. When it ended many people around us actually applauded the show,” John Nelson wrote on X.
It wasn’t the first time dragonflies descended on a Rhode Island beach.
In 2021, countless numbers of the winged insects flew over Narragansett Town Beach. Rhode Island biologist Virginia “Ginger” Brown told NBC 10 News that it is possible the dragonflies wait for storms to pass and then resume their migration. Lifeguards said they are usually seen in early September.
“Male green darners are aggressively territorial, patrolling a patch of pond and physically ramming any intruders. If a receptive female should enter the territory, the male performs a looping aerial display,” according to the Columbus Audubon.
It was an ominous scene, but luckily for the weekend beachgoers, nobody was hurt. “Even for those of us who study dragonflies and are out all the time, that experience is magical,” Brown said in 2021.
