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. 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. dragonfly doji candlestick meaning Common Hawkers are swift and powerful in flight, often patrolling large areas of open water and occasionally venturing over land.

  • It prefers calm freshwater habitats like ponds, lakes, and marshes with lots of emergent vegetation.
  • Small flying insects, such as mosquitoes, are the usual fare, but some dragonflies regularly consume prey that is 60 percent of their own weight.
  • They are symbols of courage, strength, and happiness in Japan, but seen as sinister in European folklore.
  • 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.
  • They prefer slow-moving or stagnant waters with rich vegetation; they occupy various regions across the Americas.

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 Globe Skimmer has a pale brown body and transparent wings, with adults occasionally developing a golden shade. They are one of the most widespread dragonfly species seen around the world1. Male Globe Skimmers have a row of cells on the hind wing known as secondary genitalia, which females lack. Dragonflies, like damselflies, exhibit a mating posture unique to the Odonata. The male and female contort themselves into the “wheel” position before sperm is transferred.

Types of Dragonfly Species

Compared with other insects, they are large, with some having wingspans of up to 16 cm (about 6 inches). Dragonfly wing muscles must be warm to function optimally, and so, if cool, the insect often engages in wing-whirring and basking in the sun to generate heat before taking flight. 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. 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.

They prefer slow-moving or stagnant waters with rich vegetation; they occupy various regions across the Americas. Unlike other dragonflies, the Hine’s Emerald Dragonfly has unique flying abilities, hovering in the air and darting in a straight line. The Twelve-spotted Skimmer is a highly admired species due to its unique and fascinating characteristics.

They live near ponds, lakes, marshes, and slow-moving streams, where they hunt for insects. However, when their preferred prey is scarce, they may consume aphids, termites, ants, and beetles. Dragonflies are predatory, flying insects that belong to the suborder Anisoptera within the order Odonata. The suborder derives its name from the Greek words anisos (unequal) and pteron (wing) since the hindwings of dragonflies are broader than the forewings.

The largest living dragonfly, the giant hawker (Tetracanthagyna plagiata), has a maximum wingspan of about 6.42 in (163 mm). In contrast, the smallest, the scarlet dwarf (Nannophya pygmaea), has a wingspan of only 20 mm (0.8 in). Dragonflies are represented in human culture on artefacts such as pottery, rock paintings, statues, and Art Nouveau jewellery.

Common Green Darner

Adults are characterized by an elongated abdomen and a pair of large compound eyes that provide an almost 360° vision. These insects are often mistaken for damselflies (suborder Zygoptera), which are phylogenetically close but lighter in build. Moreover, while damselflies hold their wings folded at rest, dragonflies hold their wings flat and away from their bodies. 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.

Young dragonflies, called larvae or sometimes nymphs or naiads, are aquatic and are as dedicated predators under water as the adults are in the air. The functionally wingless larvae are usually mottled or dull in color, matching the sediments or water plants among which they live. They have bulging eyes somewhat similar to the adults, but possess a formidable anatomical structure not present in the adult. Called the “mask,” it is a fusion of the larva’s third pair of mouthparts. Disproportionately large, the mask folds beneath both the head and thorax when it is not in use. At the end of the mask is a set of fanglike pincers used to seize prey such as mosquito larvae, worms, crustaceans, tadpoles, and small fish.

Flame Skimmer

  • Originating from Scandinavia, these types of dragonflies are seen in many parts of Northern Europe and North America.
  • Dragonflies are predatory, flying insects that belong to the suborder Anisoptera within the order Odonata.
  • Its appearance is striking, with green eyes, a metallic green body, and yellow stripes on its thorax and abdomen.
  • In males, the second and third segments are enlarged, with the underside of the second segment having a cleft that forms the secondary genitalia.
  • Depending on the species, a single clutch can contain up to 1,500 eggs, which typically hatch into aquatic nymphs, or naiads, in about a week.

They are hemimetabolous, developing from an egg to an adult through multiple nymphal stages. Most of their life is spent as aquatic nymphs, emerging as adults, typically for a few weeks only to mate and reproduce. Common Green Darners are typically found around freshwater habitats such as ponds, marshes, lakes, and slow-moving rivers. In 2009, the first comprehensive assessment of insect species showed that 10 percent of dragonfly species were under threat of extinction.

Globe Skimmer (Pantala flavescens)

As their name suggests, this type of dragonfly bags the record for the longest-distance insect flyer. They measure between 1.2 to 1.6 inches, which puts them in the medium-sized bracket of dragonfly species. She prefers cooler climates, while the Common Sanddragon is home in the sand near streams and rivers. Depending on the species, nymphs can survive for several months to up to 5 years7.

Body Plan

In 2021 the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) released the first global assessment of dragonflies as an update to their Red List of Threatened Species. They prefer still or slow-moving waters such as lakes, ponds, canals, and ditches, often with plenty of floating vegetation. The Azure Hawker (Aeshna caerulea) is a northern species with vivid blue markings, mostly found in subarctic and alpine habitats. Eastern Pondhawks are fierce predators, catching insects both in the air and on vegetation. They favor ponds, lakes, marshes, and quiet backwaters with lots of aquatic plants. Blue Dashers prefer still or slow-moving freshwater bodies like ponds, lakes, and marshy areas with abundant vegetation.

Adult dragonflies are characterised by a pair of large, multifaceted, compound eyes, two pairs of strong, transparent wings, sometimes with coloured patches, and an elongated body. 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. 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. Damselflies (suborder Zygoptera) are sometimes also called dragonflies in that both are odonates (order Odonata).

Eastern Pondhawks exhibit sexual dimorphism and have an average length of 1.5 to 2 inches. Males have bright blue bodies, while females and juveniles are green. Exploring the various types of dragonflies can offer insights beyond their physical appearance.

Roseate Skimmer (Orthemis ferruginea)

Despite being expert fliers, dragonflies become targets of some predators. Adults are preyed upon by falcons, such as the American kestrel, the merlin, and the hobby. Ducks, herons, newts, frogs, fish, and water spiders consume nymphs.

In females, the eighth segment contains the genital opening on the underside. The opening is covered by a simple flap (vulvar lamina) or bears a tube-like ovipositor, depending on the species. They patrol long stretches of streams, often flying close to the water’s surface. Slaty Skimmers are usually found in still or slow-moving waters like lakes, ponds, and marshy areas with plenty of shoreline vegetation. Common Whitetails are found near ponds, lakes, and slow-moving rivers, often favoring areas with open water and scattered vegetation.

Blue Dasher

They can also be seen migrating in groups during late summer and fall. The Banded Pennant (Celithemis fasciata) is a striking dragonfly with distinctively banded wings, common in the eastern United States. Yellow-winged Darters often perch low on vegetation or the ground, launching quick flights to hunt. They are active hunters, often flying low over the water surface to catch prey and resting frequently on open ground or rocks. 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.

Each leg comprises two short basal joints, two long joints, and a three-jointed foot. The mouthparts are well-adapted for biting and chewing, having a flap-like upper lip (labrum), which they rapidly shoot forward to capture prey.