What would you do?
If you’re not fond of creepy crawlies, you might have wanted to steer clear of Misquamicut State Beach in Rhode Island this past weekend. What started as a serene day at the beach quickly took a bizarre turn when hundreds of dragonflies suddenly swarmed the area.
Videos captured by various social media users show the moment when these dragonflies appeared seemingly out of nowhere.
“Oh my god, I’m kind of scared,” Tori, a TikTok user, exclaimed in her video. The footage is filled with screams and confusion as beachgoers tried to make sense of the unexpected invasion.
Some people fled in panic, others recorded the spectacle, and some simply watched in amazement as the unusual scene unfolded.
“I have never experienced anything like this in my life,” Tori wrote.
The phenomenon wasn’t isolated to Misquamicut State Beach. Attendees at the Newport Folk Fest in Rhode Island also witnessed the dragonfly swarm and shared their bewilderment.
“What does this mean?” questioned TikTok user Rosie.
The likely explanation is that the dragonflies were in search of resources like water and mosquitoes, using the coastline as a navigational guide. Their typical flight altitude might have been lowered by recent storm activity, leading them to invade the beach.
Fortunately, dragonflies pose no threat to humans, so while the sight was startling, there was no real danger — just an unexpected dragonfly migration during a peaceful day.