In this guide, we’ll explore 25 different types of dragonflies, highlighting their key identification points, habitats, and behaviors. For example, the yellow presba, a dragonfly native only to South Africa, is losing its grassland habitat to the Australian black wattle, a commercially introduced tree. The fast-growing invasive species blocks out sunlight that sustains the grasses. The International Union for Conservation of Nature now considers this dragonfly vulnerable to extinction. Dragonflies are important to their environments both as predators (particularly of mosquitos) and as prey to birds and fish.
She prefers cooler climates, while the Common Sanddragon is home in the sand near streams and rivers. Dragonflies are represented in human culture on artefacts such as pottery, rock paintings, statues, and Art Nouveau jewellery. They are used in traditional medicine in Japan and China, and caught for food in Indonesia. They are symbols of courage, strength, and happiness in Japan, but seen as sinister in European folklore.
Distinguishing characteristics and flight behavior
Primarily found in the eastern United States, their preferred habitat is shallow, oligotrophic streams and rivers where the water flow is slow to moderate. It is named after Halloween due to its unique wing pattern and behavior. The dark bands on its wings give it an eerie look, and it has an unusual habit of perching atop plants and grasses and swaying with the wind. These emerald dragonflies typically inhabit wetland habitats, such as fens and sedge meadows, where water flows slowly.
Emperor Dragonflies are found around lakes, large ponds, and slow rivers, often hunting over open water. They frequently perch on rocks, sticks, or bare ground, darting out quickly to catch flying insects. The Eastern Pondhawk (Erythemis simplicicollis) is a robust dragonfly widely distributed across the eastern United States, easily recognized by its green and blue coloration.
Dragonflies
Damselflies (suborder Zygoptera) are sometimes also called dragonflies in that both are odonates (order Odonata). Extremely strong and agile fliers, dragonflies are among the fastest insects known and are voracious predators of flying insects such as mosquitoes and flies. The winged adults are diversely colored in a variety of shades ranging from metallic to pastel. Compared with other insects, they are large, with some having wingspans of up to 16 cm (about 6 inches). The dragonfly’s speed and agility contribute to its being one of the most effective aerial predators. Small flying insects, such as mosquitoes, are the usual fare, but some dragonflies regularly consume prey that is 60 percent of their own weight.
Identify Insects & Safety Tips
- They are strong flyers and rarely perch, often seen gliding effortlessly over open fields and roads.
- Black Saddlebags are strong fliers, often seen soaring effortlessly in groups, especially during late summer migrations.
- These types of dragonflies are sedentary; most of their life cycle happens in the larval stage, lasting up to two years.
- Living on every continent but Antarctica, these insects are instantly recognizable by their large bodies; four long, horizontal wings; and the way they hover and zip around.
- Many dragonflies have brilliant iridescent or metallic colours produced by structural coloration, making them conspicuous in flight.
- Dragonflies belong to the suborder2 Anisoptera within the larger order Odonata.
A dragonfly is a flying insect belonging to the infraorder Anisoptera below the order Odonata. Loss of wetland habitat threatens dragonfly populations around the world. Many dragonflies have brilliant iridescent or metallic colours produced by structural coloration, making them conspicuous in flight. An adult dragonfly’s compound eyes have nearly 24,000 ommatidia each. This species lives in Alaska, Canada, and the northern United States. They prefer marshy habitats near slow-moving rivers, calm ponds, or vast lakes, where they feed on small flying insects like mosquitoes and flies.
Because these insects require stable oxygen levels and clean water, scientists consider them reliable bioindicators of the health of an ecosystem. Orange Shadowdragons have a distinctive orange-brown color, where their name originated. Females have a less dragonfly doji candlestick vibrant shade than males and a unique protruded lower lip that males don’t. The Eastern Pondhawk is a species of dragonfly commonly found in the eastern and central United States.
Common Hawker
- The Halloween Pennant (Celithemis eponina) is a beautiful dragonfly that looks like a small, colorful flag fluttering in the wind.
- Golden-ringed Dragonflies favor clean, fast-flowing streams and rivers, especially in upland and moorland regions.
- The Four-spotted Chaser (Libellula quadrimaculata) is a medium-sized dragonfly easily recognized by the dark spots on its wings.
- These emerald dragonflies typically inhabit wetland habitats, such as fens and sedge meadows, where water flows slowly.
The Emperor Dragonfly (Anax imperator) is one of Europe’s largest and most powerful dragonflies, known for its brilliant colors and strong flight. Widow Skimmers prefer calm, shallow waters with abundant aquatic plants and open sunlit areas. Twelve-spotted Skimmers often perch on tall reeds or branches, surveying their territory and flying in short bursts to catch insects. These dragonflies are active hunters, often perching on stems or twigs near water, ready to dart after prey. When he finds a receptive female, he grasps her behind her head with claspers at the tip of his abdomen, and the two fly off together.
Their bright colours and agile flight are admired in the poetry of Lord Tennyson and the prose of H. Emily is a passionate nature writer who enjoys exploring the fascinating world of insects. She shares clear, easy-to-read guides to help people understand and appreciate these tiny creatures.
Male Globe Skimmers have a row of cells on the hind wing known as secondary genitalia, which females lack. The Crimson Marsh Glider is a dragonfly species living in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. The males of the species have red bodies, while the females and young ones have a yellow-brown color. These types of dragonflies are sedentary; most of their life cycle happens in the larval stage, lasting up to two years. They submerge themselves in the waters of marshes, slow-moving streams, or vegetation-rich ponds, where they hunt other aquatic creatures.
Their shape, metabolism, and respiration differ concordantly with the microhabitat they occupy. Dragonflies are predatory insects, both in their aquatic nymphal stage (also known as “naiads”) and as adults. They have a uniquely complex mode of reproduction involving indirect insemination, delayed fertilisation, and sperm competition. Around midsummer, females hover over bodies of fresh water and dip in their abdomens, laying eggs that hatch in about seven to eight days. Dragonfly, (suborder Anisoptera), any of a group of roughly 3,000 species of aerial predatory insects most commonly found near freshwater habitats throughout most of the world.
However, each species has its distinct preference for the environment they inhabit. Adult dragonflies are characterized by long bodies with two narrow pairs of intricately veined, membranous wings that, while generally transparent, may have colored markings. Unlike damselflies, the front and rear wing pairs are shaped differently. In addition, dragonflies rest with their wings spread horizontally, rather than held vertically against each other (with the exception of one very small family, Epiophlebiidae). Dragonflies have a more powerful build and are generally much stronger fliers than damselflies.
They undergo between six and 15 molts before emerging as fully formed adult dragonflies, a process that takes about 12 hours. Adults live only about a month, hunting flies, mosquitos, and midges. Their arms slant upward, forming a type of basket and enabling them to scoop up prey in flight. Dr. Clarence Hine discovered Hine’s Emerald Dragonfly, hence its name. Its appearance is striking, with green eyes, a metallic green body, and yellow stripes on its thorax and abdomen. They are relatively large dragonflies, with a body length of up to 2.5 inches and a wingspan of up to 3.5 inches.
