Wings

Dragonfly wings are a marvel of ultra-lightweight construction: large, light and yet rigid. They are arranged like corrugated sheet metal in a kink-fold structure. This increases rigidity and improves contact with the air flowing around them. Body fluid pulsates in the fine wing veins, which contain thin air channels. All this ensures stability and longevity – enabling large dragonflies to perform up to 130 million wing beats during an assumed 20 days of flight.