Dragonflies and Damselflies
Odontata
(Photo courtesy of Jared Gorrell/iNaturalist CC BY-NC) USAGE REQUEST INFORMATION
Dragonfly nymph in Charlottesville, Va., on June 9, 2017. (Photo courtesy Colin D Jones/iNaturalist CC BY-NC) USAGE REQUEST INFORMATION
A dragonfly lands at Dutch Gap Conservation Area in Chesterfield County, Va., on Aug. 12, 2019. The area protects 810 acres of woods, wetlands and wildlife bordering the James River, and in 2017 a boardwalk for hiking and viewing, as well as a paddle craft launch were installed. The Audubon Society names Dutch Gap one of the top birding sites in Virginia. Home to a large heron rookery, it attracts bald eagles and other hard-to-find species. (Photo by Will Parson/Chesapeake Bay Program)
An eastern pondhawk rests on a mat of duckweed and American waterfern at Dutch Gap Conservation Area in Chesterfield County, Va., on Aug. 12, 2019. (Photo by Will Parson/Chesapeake Bay Program)
A seaside dragonlet is seen along a shoreline near Hoopers Strait Sanctuary in Crocheron, Md., on Aug. 2, 2017. (Photo by Will Parson/Chesapeake Bay Program)
Dragonflies and damselflies are commonly found in shallow, non-flowing bodies of water like ponds and wetlands.
Appearance
Dragonflies have huge wraparound eyes and flat, wide airplane wings at rest, while damselflies are daintier, with space between their eyes and wings demurely folded on their slender bodies at rest.
Feeding
Both are predatory and hunt a variety of prey including other small fish, tadpoles and other aquatic insects.
Reproduction and Life Cycle
Most of a dragonfly's life is spent in the larval stage where it molts from six to fifteen times. Larval development varies from one or two years (most common) to as many as six years. During that process, the nymph crawls up out of the water and molts one last time, emerging from its old skin as an adult with functional wings. Unlike other insects, dragonflies and damselflies do not have an intermediate pupal stage before becoming an adult. Because of this, Odonata are said to undergo an "incomplete" or "gradual" metamorphosis.
Did You Know?
- The Odonata are known to be ancient insects. The earliest fossils so far discovered come from Upper Carboniferous (Pennsylvanian) sediments in Europe formed about 325 million years ago.
- Odonates are popular with both the amateur and professional naturalists because they are large, colorful, easily observable and have exceptionally charismatic behaviors.
- They have well-developed, movable lower jaws to snatch prey as it swims by.
Sources and Additional Information
- Introduction to the Odonata Univeristy of California Museum of Paleontology
- Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies) as a bridge between ecology and evolutionary genomics Frontiers of Zoology
- Odonata University of Florida
Quick Facts
Species
Native
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Habitat
Dragonflies and damselflies are commonly found in shallow, non-flowing waterbodies like ponds and wetlands.
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Diet
Both are predatory and hunt a variety of prey including other small fish, tadpoles and other aquatic insects.
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Lifespan
Nymphs last up to seven years, while the adults can also live for multiple years. -
Status
Stable
