Dragonflies and Damselflies
Order Odonata
The Dragonflies and Damselflies (Order Odonata) includes 510 species across 18 families and 97 genera in our directory.
About Dragonflies and Damselflies
Odonata includes ~6,000 described species of dragonflies and damselflies. Dragonflies are among the fastest flying insects, reaching 36 mph (58 km/h). They can fly in any direction including backward, and hover in place - each wing operates independently.
Economic Impact
Dragonflies are voracious predators that consume hundreds of mosquitoes daily, providing natural pest control worth millions in reduced mosquito-borne disease risk. A single dragonfly can eat 30 to hundreds of mosquitoes per day.
Ecological Role
Dragonflies predate dinosaurs by nearly 100 million years - fossils date to 325 million years ago. The largest dragonfly ancestor, Meganeuropsis permiana (285 mya), had a 75cm wingspan, enabled by atmospheric oxygen levels of 31-35% compared to today's 21%. Dragonflies have a 95% hunting success rate - the highest of any predator.
Families in Odonata (18)
Species in Odonata (510)
Amazon Darner
Anax amazili
Identification: Eyes gray; Face green with diamond-shaped black mark on frons; white spots laterally on S3-9. Rare. May be breeding in the Lower Rio Grande Valley and southern Florida.
Amber-winged Spreadwing
Lestes eurinus
Identification: Male metallic green, often with extensive pruinosity. Female with distinctive yellow patches on side of thorax. Both have amber wings, but this can be difficult to see in the field.
Amelia's Threadtail
Neoneura amelia
Identification: Male has solid brilliant orange over head, thorax, and anterior segments of abdomen; rest of abdomen dark. Females are very difficult to separate from those of other Neoneura species.
Antillean Skimmer
Orthemis undescribed
Dennis Paulson, pers. comm., said - "Stock Island is sort of the epicenter of their abundance in the Keys."
Antillean Spreadwing
Lestes spumarius
One record from Florida Keys on iNaturalist --that image will hopefully be added here in the future.
Appalachian Jewelwing
Calopteryx angustipennis
Identification: Males a brilliant metallic green Female bright green, lacks a white stigma in the wings
Appalachian Snaketail
Ophiogomphus incurvatus
Identification: Rather small for a Snaketail. Has no, or very reduced dark stripes on side of thorax. Male has blueish eyes.
Arrow Clubtail
Stylurus spiniceps
Identification: In the genus Stylurus (the Hanging Clubtails) this is the only North American species with adbominal segment 9 noticeably longer than abdominal segement 8. The last two segments (s9 and s10) are dark on the dorsal surface.
Arrowhead Spiketail
Zoraena obliqua
Identification: A series of arrow shaped yellow marks dorsally, on a dark brown/black abdomen. Northern race has green eyes, and southern race has blue eyes. Can be found hunting in fields, or males can be found patrolling over streams.
Atlantic Bluet
Enallagma doubledayi
Identification: Shorter terminal appendages on the male than Familiar Bluet , Enallagma civile , otherwise nearly identical. No black patches on the sides of abdominal segments 8 and 9 .
Aurora Damsel
Chromagrion conditum
Identification: Large black patch on top of thorax, with wavy edges.
Aztec Dancer
Argia nahuana
Identification: Separation from agrioides: Nice explanation by Jim Johnson here Another comparison here
Aztec Glider
Tauriphila azteca
Identification: Only member of genus with dark bands on abdomen
Azure Damselfly
Coenagrion puella
Best distinguished from the similar Common Blue Damselfly by the thinner blue stripes on its thorax. The female is much darker with mainly black markings on its abdomen interspersed with greenish rings. The Common Blue Damselfly has thicker antehumer
Baja Bluet
Enallagma eiseni
Identification: Intermediate abdominal segments of the male have spear-shaped black marks with the tip pointed towards the tail (not spear-shaped or pointed towards the head in other species).
Band-winged Dragonlet
Erythrodiplax umbrata
Identification: Mature males distinctive, with slender body and black bands on wings.
Banded Demoiselle
Calopteryx splendens
A spectacular damselfly. The male is most easily distinguished from the similar Beautiful Demoiselle by having a wing band that is around half the wing's total length, the female however does not have this band, but has a yellowish-green tint to the
Banner Clubtail
Hylogomphus apomyius
small uncommon species, originally described from the Sam Houston NF in se TX - OC
Bar-sided Darner
Gynacantha mexicana
Identification: Most readily distinguished by the brown stripe along the leading edge of all four wings, though some individuals apparently lack this marking.
Beautiful Demoiselle
Calopteryx virgo
Nymphs have a distinctive "rhino horn" behind the eye not found in Banded Demoiselle nymphs. The Beautiful Demoiselle favours fast flowing streams with clean stony or sandy beds. It now appears to be spreading into the southern part of VC55.
Black Pondhawk
Erythemis attala
Identification: Similar to Pin-tailed Pondhawk but with a shorter, thicker abdomen.
Black-fronted Forktail
Ischnura denticollis
Identification: Males similar to cervula but no spots on top of thorax and blue only on top of 8 and 9: Females similar to cervula, but blue spots only on top and on both 8 and 9
Black-shouldered Spinyleg
Dromogomphus spinosus
Identification: Spines on upper leg are of two lengths, longer ones interspersed with shorter ones. Capital "I" on top of thorax is distinctive.
Black-tailed Skimmer
Orthetrum cancellatum
A medium-sized dragonfly with relatively broad, flattened abdomen, but not as broad as the two chaser species. Mature males have a pale blue abdomen with pale yellow spots on the sides and a dark tip. Immature males and females are unmistakable, bein
Blackwater Bluet
Enallagma weewa
Identification: Long, thin, and dark. Adult male is distinctive, with body mostly black and just abdominal segment nine blue. Female has distinctive pattern of black, blue, and brown stripes on thorax. Teneral male is similar to female . Author of sp
Blue Corporal
Ladona deplanata
Identification: Mature males deep blue, dark marks at the base of wings. Females and teneral males are brown with "corporal stripes" on thorax.
Blue-Spotted Comet
Anax concolor
First US record photographed at Santa Ana NWR in June 2005. Subsequent records documented at Bentsen-RGV and Resaca de la Palma State Parks.
Blue-faced Ringtail
Erpetogomphus eutainia
Identification: Only clubtail with blue on the face and thorax. The rings on the abdominal segments are also distinctive. can be quite common along the shore lines of both the San Marcos and Guadalupe Rivers (OC)
Blue-ringed Dancer
Argia sedula
Identification: Male has black abdomen with blue rings. Resembles a bluet, but abdominal segment 2 mostly black, has wide black, forked, shoulder stripe. Thorax of male darkens during tandem oviposition . Some southern populations have slight tinting
Blue-tailed Damselfly
Ischnura elegans
The dark body and blue tip is distinctive. However a number of colour forms exist, where the abdomen can be pink ( rufescens ), lilac ( violacea ) or green ( infuscans ) when the damselfly first emerges, slowly turning to the blue of most mature adul
Blue-tipped Dancer
Argia tibialis
Identification: Male very dark above, with broad brownish-purple stripes on thorax , abdominal segments 9 and 10 blue. Female has blue and brown forms, but in both note wide black shoulder stripes, mostly dark abdomen. See Odonata Central (dead link)
Broad-bodied Chaser
Libellula depressa
A medium-sized dragonfly with a very broad, flattened abdomen. The male is blue and the female yellow. Larvae are very similar to those of the Four-spotted Chaser (Libellula quadrimaculata) but have deeper serrations for the teeth and the eyes protru
Broad-striped Forceptail
Aphylla angustifolia
Identification: Yellow bands on the sides of the thorax alternate between broad and narrow. Other similar species in its range (Aphylla, Phyllocycla, and Phyllogomphoides spp.) have all bands the same width.
Broad-tailed Shadowdragon
Neurocordulia michaeli
Identification: differs from other northeastern species in the genus in its short mesotibial keel and from all congeners in the great width of its abdomen. (Brunelle 2000) Maine considers this a Species of Greatest Conservation Need
Brown Hawker
Aeshna grandis
This large dragonfly is easily distinguished. Both sexes are a rich brown and have a distinctive golden-brown wings, which is often the most striking character of flying individuals. The male has two small blue spots on segment 2 and blue spots along
Brown Spiketail
Zoraena bilineata
Identification: Green eyes that nearly touch. Brown thorax and abdomen. Yellow triangles (bluntly pointed) on the abdomen. Two lateral thoracic stripes, in yellow, that are equal in width. Very similar to Delta-Spotted Spiketail, and some experts
California Dancer
Argia agrioides
Identification: Separation from nahuana: Nice explanation by Jim Johnson here Another comparison here
Canada Whiteface
Leucorrhinia patricia
Identification: According to Denis A. Doucet, looks like a miniature Crimson-ringed or Belted Whiteface, but can be positively ID'd by size (24-29mm) and shape of secondary genitalia (distal portion of male hamules devoid of projection)
Canyon Rubyspot
Hetaerina vulnerata
Identification: Differentiated from American rubyspot by lack of a stigma on wings.
Carmine Skimmer
Orthemis discolor
Identification: Brilliant pink, sometimes purplish, sometimes more red, with bright red eyes and face. Face and eyes typically as brightly colored or brighter than the body; compare to Roseate Skimmer, in which the eyes and face are usually darker th
Carolina Saddlebags
Tramea carolina
Identification: Similar to Red Saddlebags ( T. onusta ), but with darker face, averages more "filled in" saddle, and often has more extensive black around the final abdomen segments.
Carolina Spreadwing
Lestes vidua
Identification: Very similar to Common Spreadwing, Lestes disjunctus . Carolina is more slender and has rusty brown shoulder stripes.
Cherry Bluet
Enallagma concisum
Identification: Overall color is blackish. Mature males extensively marked with red.
Cherry-faced Meadowhawk
Sympetrum internum
Identification: See comments under rubicundulum . S. internum and S. rubicundulum are most likely conspecific.
Citrine Forktail
Ischnura hastata
Identification: Male has mostly yellow abdomen with some black markings; the tip is entirely yellow. Alone of all damselfly species in the world, the male Citrine Forktail has a forewing stigma that is not along the leading edge of the wing (in othe
Clamp-tipped Emerald
Somatochlora tenebrosa
Identification: Shape of male cerci make for easy ID
Cobra Clubtail
Gomphurus vastus
Identification: See Tennessen , Needham . Walker for key to families and genera. See Tennessen , Needham for key to species Nymph : Character states for vastus include: 1. Ligula flat (as in all species except lineatifrons . 2. End tooth of palpal bl
Comanche Skimmer
Libellula comanche
Identification: Large blue dragonfly with white face and white stigmas on the wings
Common Baskettail
Epitheca cynosura
Identification: Identification of this species, is tricky. Some individuals have large basal spot on hindwings, like Mantled Baskettail, E. semiaquea , but spot does not extend to hindwing. Clear-winged form of Common Baskettail may be indistinguisha
Common Blue Damselfly
Enallagma cyathigerum
A medium-small damselfly. It can be distinguished from other blue damselflies by the thick blue stripe on its thorax. The other common and similar damselfly, the Azure, has a much thinner stripe. With a little practice, it is relatively easy to pick
Common Darter
Sympetrum striolatum
This is one of the smaller dragonflies. The male is orange-red but becoming brown with age. Females (and juvenile males) are yellowish to light brown. The immature male however has pinky red patches on the thorax and abdomen. This species is most lik
Common Hawker
Aeshna juncea
This Hawker has paired spots on each abdominal segment, two broad stripes on the sides of the thorax and the costa is yellow in both sexes. The male has quite small blue spots on each segment of the abdomen and appears quite dark. The eyes are blue.
Common Whitetail
Plathemis lydia
Identification: Males and females have different wing patterns: Males: Immature males have the same body pattern as females but the same wing pattern as mature males: 'tween' males have abdomens that are beginning to turn blue, but the adolescent bod
Coral-fronted Threadtail
Neoneura aaroni
Identification: Male is blue-gray with brilliant coral-orange rectangles on its face and back. Female is very difficult to distinguish from those of other Neoneura species.
Crimson-ringed Whiteface
Leucorrhinia glacialis
Identification: Double cells in radial planate of forewing
Delta-spotted Spiketail
Zoraena diastatops
Identification: Green eyes that almost touch. Dark thorax with two or three yellow lateral thoracic stripes. Abdomen dark with yellow triangular spots.
Desert Forktail
Ischnura barberi
Identification: ramburii vs barberi: In Rambur's Forktail the antehumeral stripe is narrow, wide in Desert Forktail. In Rambur's the black markings on the dorsal side of the abdominal segments are straight-edged on the sides of the segments. In the D
Desert Shadowdamsel
Palaemnema domina
Identification: A slender damselfly with a long abdomen; eyes brown above, yellowish below; prothorax blue; abdomen with pale blue basal rings on S3-7; S8-9 blue, S10 black. Females only have S9 blue, with the abdomen tip enlarged Odonata Central rec
Double-ringed Pennant
Celithemis verna
Identification: Fully adult male distinct from other Celithemis : blue-black body with small dark marks on hindwings .
Duckweed Firetail
Telebasis byersi
Identification: Males have a bright red abdomen that is essentially unmarked with black. On the dorsal surface of the thorax are two black marks shaped like the numeral "1." Females are dull red to brownish yellow but otherwise like the males. Very
Dusky Clubtail
Phanogomphus spicatus
Identification: A medium-sized clubtail with dull colouration. Mostly brown with dull yellow makings, except that when recently emerged the yellows are a lot brighter. Dorsally, abdomen has an almost contiguous yellow stripe on S1-S7, each component
Elfin Skimmer
Nannothemis bella
Identification: Tiny. Male has pale blue body with white on face, clubbed abdomen. Female has banded pattern, likely Batesian mimic of wasp.
Elusive Clubtail
Stylurus notatus
Identification: Blue eyes are distinctive among similar species. Length of S8 and S9 are similar (S9 much longer in Arrow Clubtail ( S. spiniceps ).
Emerald Damselfly
Lestes sponsa
A medium-sized damselfly which characteristically holds wings open at 45 degrees when perched, unlike other damselflies. Males are metallic green with powder blue eyes, thorax sides and bands across first and last two abdominal segments. The females
Emerald Spreadwing
Lestes dryas
Identification: dorsal surface of thorax and abdomen metallic green; sides of body yellowish; abdomen relatively short and stout for a spreadwing; paraprocts do not extend beyond cerci
Emma's Dancer
Argia emma
Identification: Note the narrow top stripe, 'pinched' side stripe and yellowish color on the female.
Emperor Dragonfly
Anax imperator
This is one of Europe's largest dragonflies. The male is easy to identify with its apple green thorax and bright blue abdomen and blue eyes. The female is mostly green and also has the apple green thorax. Large ponds, lakes, canals and slow moving ri
Extra-striped Snaketail
Ophiogomphus anomalus
Identification: Has an extra black stripe on the thorax: Also has black stripes on the face and black legs.
Fawn Darner
Boyeria vinosa
Identification: Adult :Large, brown spots at base of each wing. Yellow spots on side of thorax. Typically flies in the evening. see to differentiate from grafiana Nymph : see to differentiate from grafiana Famous for approaching humans if they are wa
Filigree Skimmer
Pseudoleon superbus
Identification: Adult: eyes pale with dark longitudinal stripes; thorax initially tan with numerous darker brown stripes, becoming diffusely black with age; wings variably patterned with black, but always with wide dark band at nodus; males usually h
Florida Bluet
Enallagma pollutum
Identification: Very similar to Orange Bluet, Enallagma signatum --can be distinguished by details of male cerci, see:
Four-spotted Chaser
Libellula quadrimaculata
The four wing spots give this species its name; the wings also have a large brown patch at base. Both sexes are similar with brown bodies tapering to a black tip. It prefers well-vegetated water with lots of submerged and emergent plants. Sexually ac
Frosted Whiteface
Leucorrhinia frigida
Identification: 2 cells adjacent to forewing triangle
Garnet Glider
Tauriphila australis
Identification: Dark hindwing markings small; abdomen is red in male, duller in female, with dark central stripe near tip
Golden Bluet
Enallagma sulcatum
Identification: Per Paulson Enallagma vesperum is identically colored but has narrower black thoracic stripes than E. sulcatum . E. sulcatum has broad black thoracic stripes in both sexes.
Gray-waisted Skimmer
Cannaphila insularis
Identification: Hindwings very narrow at their bases. Female usually has a wide flange on abdominal segment 8. May resemble the much more abundant Blue Dasher (Pachydiplax longipennis), but abdominal stripes (female and immature) are continuous rathe
Hairy Dragonfly
Brachytron pratense
Similar in size to the Migrant Hawker, the male is black with blue spots and the female black with yellow spots. Both have a downy thorax which, in the male, has a pair of green stripes on the dorsal surface. Twin black lines on the side of the thora
Harlequin Darner
Gomphaeschna furcillata
Identification: A very small darner. See print and Internet references.
Harpoon Clubtail
Phanogomphus descriptus
Identification: Abdomen slender, barely clubbed, mostly black. Legs black, except streak on rear tibia of female. Eyes dark grayish-green . Note distinctive "harpoon-like" cerci of male:
Hine's Emerald
Somatochlora hineana
Identification: "male claspers show a broad oval opening in silhouette" while for the male Clamp-tipped he states "male claspers are dramatic with a broad circular opening between the upper and lower components." Federally Listed Endangered Species
Hudsonian Whiteface
Leucorrhinia hudsonica
Identification: Older males: Younger males: Females: Note that females and immature males are similar to mature males, but instead of pale red they have yellow.
Ivory-striped Sylph
Macrothemis imitans
Can be found in the same habitat as jade-striped sylph
Jade-striped Sylph
Macrothemis inequiunguis
Uncommon, but can be locally abundant in the right habitat. Can be found with ivory-striped sylph.
Keeled Skimmer
Orthetrum coerulescens
Length: 40 to 44 mm. A slim dragonfly with a pronounced dorsal keel (dark line down the middle of the back). Male: blue body and blue-grey eyes. Female: ochre abdomen and brown eyes. May be confused with Black-tailed Skimmer and Scarce Chaser. The Ke
Kiowa Dancer
Argia immunda
Identification: Blue or violet and black. Alternating pale-dark-pale abdominal pattern is distinctive.
Lancet Clubtail
Phanogomphus exilis
Identification: Abdomen has dorsal yellow stripe along full length. See Dunkle for other marks. Most common eastern clubtail . Male In dorsal view, note the blue/gray eyes, brown thorax , yellow stripe on all segments (although weak on S8 & S10 in th
Large Red Damselfly
Pyrrhosoma nymphula
Often the earliest dragonfly or damselfly to appear, it is relatively easy to identify being red and black, with the black legs, which distinguish it from the Small Red Damselfly. Larvae are distinctive with extended wing sheaths, which reach almost
Laura's Clubtail
Stylurus laurae
Identification: Green eyes, dark brown face. Males have green thoracic markings and brown legs, females yellow thoracic markings and thighs. The wide diffuse lateral brown strip on the thorax distinguish this species from Riverine and Towne's clubtai
Leonora's Dancer
Argia leonorae
uncommon but widely distributed species in south-central and western Texas
Lucifer Swampdamsel
Leptobasis lucifer
Identification: Males with bright orange tip of the abdomen Odonata Central records
Lyre-tipped Spreadwing
Lestes unguiculatus
Identification: Abdomen metallic green in male, pruinosity on segment 8 with dark triangle on top. Distinctive lyre-shaped paraprocts.
Mantled Baskettail
Epitheca semiaquea
Identification: "According to njodes, mantled often shows clear area inside dark patch on rear wings. Also, patch on common (if present) doesn't usually extend to nodus" Note: njodes is a website that no longer works unfortunately. This may not be a
Marsh Bluet
Enallagma ebrium
Identification: Mostly blue bluet with segment 7 almost totally black and segment 6 half black. Black spots on other segments approximately equal sized.
Mexican Amberwing
Perithemis intensa
Identification: Small, thorax and abdomen yellowish-brown and unmarked. Wing markings rather variable.
Migrant Hawker
Aeshna mixta
This is a medium sized dragonfly. The overall impression is dark, the male having a blackish abdomen with blue spots, brown thorax with relatively narrow yellow stripes, and blue eyes. Females are brown with yellow spots. Both sexes have a prominent
Mustached Clubtail
Hylogomphus adelphus
Identification: Adult: face white or pale green with two horizontal black stripes - hence the common name, Mustached Clubtail; eyes green (or brown in young adults); thorax with broad U-shaped dorsal stripes, pale gray or greenish (or bright yellow i
Needham's Skimmer
Libellula needhami
Identification: Gayle & Jeanell have just done some nice work figuring out the differences between needhami and auripennis, which can be found here . Gayle reports "For highest resolution, click on "get original uploaded photo", which appears below e
Neon Skimmer
Libellula croceipennis
Identification: Similar to Flame Skimmer, but thorax and abdomen bright red, wings not as broadly amber/brown streaked. (Amber wash on wings does not extend beyond the nodus) L. saturata - Flame skimmer: males bright orange with amber color in the wi
Neotropical Bluet
Enallagma novaehispaniae
Identification: Post-ocular spots have an occipital bar between them, but the spots and bar are not usually confluent. Thorax blue in females and immature males, turning purple in older males, with a thin black shoulder stripe. Abdomen blue on segmen
Ocellated Darner
Boyeria grafiana
Identification: Adult :Large, greyish-brown in color, lacking any brown spots at the base of the wings. Thorax with yellow spots. Nymph 1. Epiproct bifurcate at tip............................................................... vinosa - Epiproct with