We don't recommend them here at UMaine Cooperative Extension for the following reasons:
1. At least here in Maine, you need a permit before you can release anything like that into a public waterway (including Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis AKA "mosquito dunks.") The later are effective when used in standing water as the label directs.
2. There is a very real concern that specimens purchased from "away" could displace native species and/or possibly not be able to survive the winters.
3. In my opinion, with all of the wet weather, sources, of standing water, etc. I seriously doubt that you would have much of an impact on anything other than your bank account.

Since you're in Maine, feel free to email me directly if you wish to talk about this.

Regards,
Colin Stewart
UMaine Cooperative Extension IPM Specialist

Your web search turns up nothing because dragonflies are not mass produced. The larvae are aquatic, voracious eaters of live prey, and the adults are so fragile, they probably would not survive captivity or transit. When it comes to biological controls available to the general public, those that are mass produced commercially are well understood, already present in the area. Besides, dragonflies are not commercially available, not mass produced, not considered exotic, nor should they be considered biological controls. The larva of dragonflies are carnivorous and eat anything of a size they can overcome. They have even been known to consume fish in outdoor ornamental ponds here in Alaska. The adults are certainly able to feed on mosquitoes, but here in Alaska, they mostly consume flies

Luv,
We've been hit by a lot of requests for information on dragonfly nymphs. Could you tell me where your friend heard about them? I'm just curious as to who is recommending them (and why). Thanks.

Colin

Thanks for all the great info!
Colin, I believe she got the information from a friend who supposedly tried it herself. Or maybe it was the infamous "friend of a friend!" Anyway, she's on vacation right now, but I have forwarded her your messages.
I am a Master Gardener with Cumberland Co., so I get lots of strange requests for information. Can you tell me what you recommend to people overwhelmed with mosquitoes? Especially since WNV is now so much in the news.
Thanks so much!
Becky

If its mosquitoes..why not try using guppies? As long it does not threaten the ecological balance. Though guppies have been widely introduced around the world as mosquitoe control.

I heard years ago from a friend of mine who lived in R.I. that Rhode Island disperses dragonfly eggs as a means of mosquito control in the ditches and ponds along state roadways. Of course, this was back in the 1970's and she was a teenager, so she may have been mistaken. Maybe there is some R.I. state office you can contact for verification?

--Becky

How about building a small decorative garden pond?

Build it......and they will come.

Jerri

Ten of our twenty acres are wetlands, including a Grady Swamp and Pond. We have so many birds, frogs, dragonflies and toads that we hardly see any mosquitoes, even though they're a problem nearby!

Well, here's a commercial source:

http://www.berkshirebio.com/bene.html

Here's another source that ships live dragonfly nymphs

http://wardsci.com/product.asp_Q_pn_E_IG0013499_A_Dragonfly+Nymphs+Living+Specimen

Here is a link that might be useful: My Site

Dragonfly nymphs are one of my all-time favorite fly-fishing fly patterns. When you don't know what to use, start with one of those on sinking line.

Oh yeah we were talking about gardening right? sorry!
Put in a nice little goldfish pond. (and practice your casting technique! haha)

I meant Dragonfly pupae.

I am not sure if my first post went thru or not. Yes you can buy dragonfly nymphs in maine. I was doing research on it a year or so ago for my property that I was building on. I believe it is somewhere in Scrarborough. My e-mail is cuteluvbug2004@aim.com. I just noticed that you posted this quite sometime ago. I have misplaced teh disk that I have my info stored on so if you have had any luck finding them. please let me know. Thanks--- Rebecca

I live in Minnesota and have a slew on one side of the farm and a drainage ditch on the other. I have frogs that live in the slew but there is not one butterfly or dragonfly around tons of biter bugs though how can I get the dragonflies or anything that likes to eat the biters. I have read plant bambo. How do you do that in a slew and where do you buy it. I have a sister that lives in Alex and has a million draqon flies and you can sit in her yard and not get bit, they are just there. Help please getting eaten alive

A company in Massachusetts for damselfly larvae.

http://www.berkshirebiological.com/Beneficial-Insects.html

I have used them before in a small private pond. My sister released them into a childs wading pool with natural water and it was in the shade. They eat mosquito larvae while in the water.

We do have some adult damselflies around here, I don't know if they were prolific before. We have many many more dragonflies, which we have never purchased. It may be worth noting that there are a few sources of natural habitat near my home here in far northern New England.

Here is a link that might be useful: Berkshire biological

If you create an environment that is something the Dragonflies can live in you will have them. However, even if you spend your money purchasing them if you do not have an environment they can live in you will not have them because those you bought will die.
Create the environment first and then see if you need to spend money on them.

we are looking to purchase some for we are OVERLOADED with mosquitoes and need help getting rid of them ... don't want to spay chemicals we are in SOUTHERN MAINE getting eaten a live!!!

As Colin Stewart pointed out in this discussion back in 2003 you would need a permit from the State of Maine before you could release any Dragonflies, Damselflies, etc. from sources outside the state.

Start a mosquito control program by creating a habitat that will attract those insects that will eat both the adult mosquitoes and the larva and eliminating, where possible, the breeding grounds for those mosquitoes.

Keep in mind that anything that is sprayed to control mosquitoes will also kill off the predators of the mosquitoes.

kimmq is kimmsr

You're right, as has been stated several times, Maine does require a permit to release damselfly/dragonfly from an out of state source. I don't care about being right.

After seeing our precious son contract meningoencephalitis, and survive it, miraculously. I personally, don't give a hoot about a permit. Insect borne meningoencephalitis has a VERY low survivability.

It may behoove our state government to develop a program to sell dragon/damsel flies, protecting Maine citizens.

Here's a link to Carolina Biological Supply Company

no ship to CA FL

http://www.carolina.com/catalog/detail.jsp?prodId=143526&s_cid=ppc_products&gclid=CPiyxsi5yM0CFU0vgQodJEkNtgCarolina Biological Supply

Numerous times people have posted here that they spent money on mail order insects (Lady Bugs, Green Lace Wings, etc.) only to watch them fly off and not stay in their garden because they did not have a habitat the insects found livable. Create a desirable habitat and the insects will move in and you will not need to spend money buying what will not stay around.

kimmq is kimmsr

This is from the article linked below,

" Buying and releasing beneficial insects on a large scale, such as a commercial farm field, or in a confined place, such as a greenhouse, can be a very effective pest-control tactic. However, in a typical home garden it’s rarely worthwhile. Chances are that most of the insects you release will disperse well beyond the boundaries of your yard. While that may be helpful for your neighborhood in general, it won’t produce any noticeable improvement in the specific pest problem that you hoped the good bugs would control in your garden. Overall, it’s more effective to invest money in plants that attract beneficial insects to your yard than it is to buy and release beneficial insects."

http://www.rodalesorganiclife.com/garden/identify-encourage-these-beneficial-insects

kimmq is kimmsr

So true Kimm... I have 1st hand experience.

I have an acre and a half loaded with dragonflies and damselflies and I still have plenty of mosquitos.

I have to disagree with many people saying Dragonflies will fly away from your property or do not control the Mosquitoes. Also they do not need a permanent source of water to thrive in an area. I lived on a ranch in Waller, TX (a little to the NorthWest of Houston). Anytime of the day or night I went more than a couple of miles from the ranch I got eaten alive by Mosquitoes. On the ranch and other nearby ranches there were Dragonflies by the dozens. There was no permanent water anywhere in the area except a small ( 10' x 5') man made Goldfish pond in the yard of a house a mile away and they chlorinated it (which would kill any insect eggs or larvae). The only possible place for these Dragonflies to lay eggs and mature was the same places Mosquitoes had, stagnant water, like rain collected in old tires or elsewhere. I suspect like most species they adapt to their environment. If scientists give them ideal conditions they will take advantage by staying in the form, larvae, that enable them to live the longest life. If all they have are short term sources of water available they will mature quickly and reproduce and the eggs will remain dormant until water is available again.

I suspect that the goldfish pond is NOT chlorinated, because goldfish can't live in chlorinated water any more than insects can.

The above (old) posts don't make it clear if they want to control larval mosquitoes with larval dragonflies or adults with adults.

The difference between water requirements of mosquitoes and DFs is that DFs takes many months to years to mature into adults while mosquitoes are super quick. So temporary bodies of water don't work for dragonflies.

I used to live in Waller Co., too! Howdy former neighbor!