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)
Bar-winged Skimmer
Libellula axilena
Bayou Clubtail
Arigomphus maxwelli
Beaverpond Baskettail
Epitheca canis
Beaverpond Clubtail
Phanogomphus borealis
Belle's Sanddragon
Progomphus bellei
Belted Whiteface
Leucorrhinia proxima
Big Bluet
Enallagma durum
Bison Snaketail
Ophiogomphus bison
Black Meadowhawk
Sympetrum danae
Black Petaltail
Tanypteryx hageni
Black Saddlebags Skimmer
Tramea lacerata
Black Setwing
Dythemis nigrescens
Black Spreadwing
Lestes stultus
Black-and-white Damsel
Apanisagrion lais
Black-tipped Darner
Aeshna tuberculifera
Blackwater Clubtail
Gomphurus dilatatus
Bleached Skimmer
Libellula composita
Blue Dasher
Pachydiplax longipennis
(c) Anna Hess, some rights reserved (CC BY)
Blue-eyed Darner
Rhionaeschna multicolor
Blue-faced Darner
Coryphaeschna adnexa
Blue-faced Meadowhawk
Sympetrum ambiguum
Blue-fronted Dancer
Argia apicalis
Blue-striped Spreadwing
Lestes tenuatus
Boreal Bluet
Enallagma boreale
Boreal Snaketail
Ophiogomphus colubrinus
Boreal Whiteface
Leucorrhinia borealis
Brilliant Emerald
Somatochlora metallica
Brimstone Clubtail
Stylurus intricatus
Broad Scarlet
Crocothemis erythraea
Bronzed River Cruiser
Macromia annulata
Brook Snaketail
Ophiogomphus aspersus
Brush-tipped Emerald
Somatochlora walshii
Burgundy Bluet
Enallagma dubium
Calico Pennant Dragonfly
Celithemis elisa
California Darner
Rhionaeschna californica
California Spreadwing
Archilestes californicus
Calvert's Emerald
Somatochlora calverti
Canada Darner
Aeshna canadensis
Cardinal Meadowhawk
Sympetrum illotum
Caribbean Darner
Triacanthagyna caribbea
Caribbean Dasher
Micrathyria dissocians
Caribbean Yellowface
Neoerythromma cultellatum
Cerulean Dancer
Argia anceps
Chalk-fronted Corporal
Ladona julia
Chalky Spreadwing
Lestes sigma
Checkered Setwing
Dythemis fugax
Cherokee Clubtail
Stenogomphurus consanguis
Cinnamon Shadowdragon
Neurocordulia virginiensis
Claret Pondhawk
Erythemis mithroides
Claw-tipped Bluet
Enallagma semicirculare
Clearlake Clubtail
Phanogomphus australis
Club-tailed Cruiser
Macromia urania
Cocoa Clubtail
Gomphurus hybridus
Columbia Clubtail
Gomphurus lynnae
Comanche Dancer
Argia barretti
Comet Darner
Anax longipes
Common Bluetail
Ischnura senegalensis
Common Green Darner
Anax junius
Common Sanddragon
Progomphus obscurus
Common Whitetail Skimmer
Libellula lydia
Copper Demoiselle
Calopteryx haemorrhoidalis
Coppery Dancer
Argia cuprea
Coppery Emerald
Somatochlora georgiana
Cream-tipped Swampdamsel
Leptobasis melinogaster
Crimson Threadtail
Protoneura amatoria
Cypress Clubtail
Phanogomphus minutus
Cyrano Darner
Nasiaeschna pentacantha
Delicate Emerald
Somatochlora franklini
Desert Firetail
Telebasis salva
Desert Whitetail
Plathemis subornata
Diminutive Clubtail
Phanogomphus diminutus
Dot-tailed Whiteface Dragonfly
Leucorrhinia intacta
Dot-winged Baskettail
Epitheca petechialis
Double-striped Bluet
Enallagma basidens
Downy Emerald
Cordulia aenea
Dragonhunter
Hagenius brevistylus
Dusky Dancer
Argia translata
Eastern Amberwing
Perithemis tenera
Eastern Forktail Damselfly
Ischnura verticalis
Eastern Least Clubtail
Stylogomphus albistylus
Eastern Pondhawk
Erythemis simplicicollis
Eastern Red Damsel
Amphiagrion saucium
Eastern Ringtail
Erpetogomphus designatus
Ebony Boghaunter
Williamsonia fletcheri
Ebony Jewelwing
Calopteryx maculata
Edmund's Snaketail
Ophiogomphus edmundo
Eight-spotted Skimmer
Libellula forensis
Elegant Spreadwing
Lestes inaequalis
Esther's Threadtail
Neoneura esthera
Eurasian Baskettail
Epitheca bimaculata
Evening Skimmer
Tholymis citrina
Everglades Sprite
Nehalennia pallidula
Exclamation Damsel
Zoniagrion exclamationis
Familiar Bluet
Enallagma civile
Fiery-eyed Dancer
Argia oenea
Fine-lined Emerald
Somatochlora filosa
Five-striped Leaftail
Phyllogomphoides albrighti
Flag-tailed Spinyleg
Dromogomphus spoliatus
Flame Skimmer
Libellula saturata
Florida Baskettail
Epitheca stella