The clear skies on the final day provided the much-needed backdrop for spotting dragonflies, a welcome change from the cloudy conditions of the previous two days of survey.

“Dragonflies and damselflies are nature’s control agents. During monsoon, we find a large population of their species because it is a favourable time for them to feed on mosquitoes,” said Mohammad Faisal, an entomologist at the biodiversity park.

Students from Hansraj College, Zakir Husain College, and IGNOU, among others, volunteered for the survey. The young surveyors were thrilled to spot a diverse range of species, including the Red Marsh Trotter, Pied Paddy Skimmer, Common Bluetail, and Golden Dartlet, among others.

However, it was not just the insects. The group stopped by to discuss medicinal plants or paused at the sight of a peacock or mynah, anything new, away from the concrete jungle. “I never expected that such a part of the city in the north was so rich with a varieties of plants… for me, plants have been the main interest. Even when dragonflies were found on the leaves of plants, I truly enjoyed photographing them,” said Deepika Gehlot, a political science undergraduate student at Zakir Husain College.

“Learning about dragonflies, and surveying them was new knowledge. I strongly feel it is important to be conscious of tiny organisms such as insects. A high number of dragonflies and damselflies is an indicator of a healthy ecosystem,” the student volunteer added.

Dragonflies and damselflies were seen fluttering in the herbal garden, butterfly conservatory, grasslands and shallow wetlands.

To observe these delicate creatures up close, the students stood perfectly still on the grasslands, careful not to disturb them. But the stillness was put to test when they unexpectedly encountered a nilgai during the trail on Friday noon. The guides cautioned the volunteers against assuming that there are only nocturnal animals in the forest.

“Check the pattern and identify… look, the abdomen is big, it is a Red Marsh Trotter (dragonfly),” pointed out Preeti Vohra, nature education officer at the Yamuna Biodiversity Park. A group of three college-going students closed in to take a look, all with sheets of survey proforma to record the species name and the various activities — egg-laying, mating, sitting, flying, etc. Other parameters recorded include the temperature, time of the survey, weather conditions, and remarks.

With a camera in hand, Mohan Singh, chief entomologist at the Biodiversity Park explained, “We spend a lot of time, especially near the ponds here, because the egg-laying takes place and we can see the nymphs. The nymphs are inside the water for six months, they eat the eggs of the mosquitoes while the adult dragonflies feed on the mosquitoes.”

The students heaved a collective sigh of relief as one among them spotted a blue-tailed dragonfly — the largest of the listed species, ending their hours-long wait next to the ponds.