Dragonfly swarm causes chaos at Rhode Island beach
Scenes reminiscent of a movie unfolded on Misquamicut Beach in the American state of Rhode Island. A swarm of dragonflies flew in from above the water toward the beachgoers. "I have never seen anything like this," said a witness in an interview with local media.
9:14 PM EDT, July 29, 2024
Last week, beachgoers in Misquamicut experienced moments of terror. Suddenly, a huge swarm of dragonflies appeared over the beach, and videos quickly surfaced on social media.
The videos show people trying to escape. Some sought shelter, while others covered their heads with sandy towels.
Witnesses told local media that the swarm of insects resembled scenes from apocalyptic movies. "It was an incredible sight. I was impressed by their sheer number," said 63-year-old Mark. "I have never seen anything like this," he added.
One of the beachgoers described that the swarm of dragonflies initially looked like a dark spot approaching the beach.
Annual migration of dragonflies
In North America, dragonfly migrations occur annually in summer and early fall.
It is unknown which species of dragonfly caused the stir among the beachgoers. However, Virginia "Ginger" Brown, a leading dragonfly expert in the Ocean State, assessed that seeing such a number of dragonflies along the coast is "a true miracle".
