Dragonfly and damselfly larvae spend the majority of their lives as aquatic predators in freshwater habitats where water quality, temperature, and vegetation structure determine welfare outcomes.
Whether dragonfly larvae experience suffering in a welfare-relevant sense remains scientifically uncertain, but evidence for nociception and stress responses in invertebrates is growing. Environmental degradation that forces larvae into suboptimal conditions - low oxygen, inappropriate temperature, reduced prey - causes physiological stress. The long larval period means that habitat degradation affects individuals over years rather than weeks. Freshwater conservation that improves water quality and habitat structure benefits dragonfly larvae alongside fish, amphibians, and other species with clearer welfare status.