Why are wetlands and river habitats important for dragonfly and damselfly survival?

Wetlands and river habitats are essential for the survival of dragonflies and damselflies primarily because they provide the necessary environment for their larval stage.

The life cycle of these insects is deeply tied to water:
* Development: With few exceptions, eggs are laid in or near water, and the resulting larvae are aquatic predators that require freshwater habitats—such as ponds, streams, marshes, and even tree holes—to develop.123
* Respiration and Growth: Larvae are structurally adapted for an aquatic life, using specialized gills to breathe underwater. They spend a significant portion of their lives—ranging from weeks to several years—in these habitats, molting multiple times as they grow.241
* Emergence: Toward the end of their development, larvae rely on robust supports, such as aquatic vegetation found in these habitats, to climb out of the water and undergo their final molt into winged adults.14

Because these habitats are critical for reproduction and development, widespread habitat loss in wetlands and along rivers is a major driver of population decline, leaving many species at risk of extinction.24