Don’t Kill These Creepy Bugs Either, They Protect Us From The World’s Deadliest Killer

One look and most people will want to squish 'em, but don't. From the Dallas, TX, metro to tiny South Texas towns, and across the globe, these vicious-looking bugs are very important.

One day these bugs will become mosquitoe-destroying machines.

If you didn't recognize them, they are creepy dragonfly babies, or more appropriately, dragonfly larvae (nymphs). As larvae, these insects are aquatic with 6 legs, large eyes, and small wing buds on the back of the thorax.

They've got "Gills located inside the rectum (unlike those of damselflies, which extend from the hind end like 3 leaflike tails). They breathe by drawing water in and out of their hind end." This is according to National Geographic.

And if you weren't aware of it, dragonflies do a great job of keeping insect populations in check. More than 90 percent of their diet consists of annoying mosquitoes.

What is the life cycle of a baby dragonfly?

According to the Australian Museum, dragonflies have three stages in their life cycle: egg - larva - adult. Adult dragonflies, which we are all more familiar with, have a long and slender abdomen, two pairs of wings, and three pairs of legs. They also have very large eyes. And love eating pesky mosquitoes.

Something quite interesting about these insects is that researchers have found evidence that the dragonfly is capable of higher-level thought processes when hunting its prey.

So just remember the next time you come across these vicious-looking larvae do not stomp them, one day it could be the adult dragonfly that comes between you and a bloodsucking mosquito with its eyes set on your forearm.