Steven Curry, age 8, of Annapolis, Md., for his question:

CAN DRAGONFLIES FLY FAST?

Dragonflies are beautiful water insects with four large, fragile wings which look like fine gauze. Dragonflies have been known to fly 50 to 60 miles per hour. They fly so swiftly that they usually escape from birds or other animals.

A dragonfly's long, slender body is colored either green, blue or brown. The wings shimmer and gleam in the sunlight when the insect flies. Large compound eyes, which look like beads, cover most of the head.

The dragonfly can see motionless objects almost six feet away, and moving objects two or three times that distance.

The insect has six legs covered with spines. It can use its legs to perch on a limb, but it cannot walk. As it flies through the air, it holds its legs together to form a basket in which to capture insects. The dragonfly grasps its prey with its legs or jaws and eats it while flying.