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)
Florida Cruiser
Macromia floridensis
Forcipate Emerald
Somatochlora forcipata
Four-spotted Pennant
Brachymesia gravida
Four-striped Leaftail
Phyllogomphoides stigmatus
Fragile Forktail
Ischnura posita
Furtive Forktail
Ischnura prognata
Giant Darner
Anax walsinghami
Gilded River Cruiser
Macromia pacifica
Golden-ringed Dragonfly
Cordulegaster boltonii
Golden-winged Skimmer
Libellula auripennis
Grappletail
Octogomphus specularis
Gray Petaltail Dragonfly
Tachopteryx thoreyi
Gray Sanddragon
Progomphus borealis
Gray-green Clubtail
Arigomphus pallidus
Great Basin Snaketail
Ophiogomphus morrisoni
Great Blue Skimmer
Libellula vibrans
Great Pondhawk
Erythemis vesiculosa
Great Spreadwing
Archilestes grandis
Green-faced Clubtail
Hylogomphus viridifrons
Green-striped Darner
Aeshna verticalis
Gulf Coast Clubtail
Gomphurus modestus
Hagen's Bluet
Enallagma hageni
Halloween Pennant
Celithemis eponina
Handsome Clubtail
Gomphurus crassus
Highland Rubyspot
Hetaerina cruentata
Hoary Skimmer
Libellula nodisticta
Horned Clubtail
Arigomphus cornutus
Hudsonian Emerald
Somatochlora hudsonica
Hyacinth Glider
Miathyria marcella
Incurvate Emerald
Somatochlora incurvata
Interior Least Clubtail
Stylogomphus sigmastylus
Ivory Featherleg
Platycnemis dealbata
Jade Clubtail
Arigomphus submedianus
Japanese Petaltail
Tanypteryx pryeri
Kennedy's Emerald
Somatochlora kennedyi
Lake Darner Dragonfly
Aeshna eremita
Lake Emerald
Somatochlora cingulata
Lance-tipped Darner
Aeshna constricta
Lavender Dancer
Argia hinei
Lesser Emperor
Anax parthenope
Lilypad Clubtail
Arigomphus furcifer
Lilypad Forktail
Ischnura kellicotti
Little Blue Dragonlet
Erythrodiplax minuscula
Little Bluet
Enallagma minusculum
Maine Snaketail
Ophiogomphus mainensis
Malachite Darner
Remartinia luteipennis
Mangrove Darner
Coryphaeschna viriditas
Marl Pennant Skimmer
Macrodiplax balteata
Marsh Firetail
Telebasis digiticollis
Martha's Pennant
Celithemis martha
Mayan Setwing
Dythemis maya
Metallic Pennant
Idiataphe cubensis
Mexican Forktail
Ischnura demorsa
Mexican Scarlet-tail
Planiplax sanguiniventris
Midland Clubtail
Gomphurus fraternus
Migrant Spreadwing
Lestes barbarus
Mocha Emerald
Somatochlora linearis
Mottled Darner
Aeshna clepsydra
Mountain Emerald
Somatochlora semicircularis
Mountain River Cruiser
Macromia margarita
Muskeg Emerald
Somatochlora septentrionalis
Narrow-striped Forceptail
Aphylla protracta
New England Bluet
Enallagma laterale
Northern Bluet
Enallagma annexum
Northern Pygmy Clubtail
Lanthus parvulus
Northern Spreadwing
Lestes disjunctus
Ocellated Emerald
Somatochlora minor
Olive Clubtail
Stylurus olivaceus
Orange Featherleg
Platycnemis acutipennis
Orange Shadowdragon
Neurocordulia xanthosoma
Ornate Pennant
Celithemis ornata
Ozark Emerald
Somatochlora ozarkensis
Pacific Clubtail
Phanogomphus kurilis
Pacific Spiketail
Zoraena dorsalis
Paddle-tailed Darner
Aeshna palmata
Painted Damsel
Hesperagrion heterodoxum
Paiute Dancer
Argia alberta
Pale Snaketail
Ophiogomphus severus
Pale-faced Clubskimmer
Brechmorhoga mendax
Pale-green Darner
Triacanthagyna septima
Peach-fronted Threadtail
Protoneura corculum
Persephone's Darner
Aeshna persephone
Petite Emerald
Dorocordulia lepida
Phantom Darner
Triacanthagyna trifida
Piedmont Clubtail
Hylogomphus parvidens
Pine Barrens Bluet
Enallagma recurvatum
Plains Clubtail
Gomphurus externus
Plains Emerald
Somatochlora ensigera
Plateau Dragonlet
Erythrodiplax basifusca
Plateau Spreadwing
Lestes alacer
Prairie Bluet
Coenagrion angulatum
Purple Bluet
Enallagma cardenium
Pygmy Snaketail
Ophiogomphus howei
Quebec Emerald
Somatochlora brevicincta
Racket-tailed Emerald
Dorocordulia libera
Racket-tipped Rubyspot
Hetaerina occisa
Rainbow Bluet
Enallagma antennatum
Rainpool Spreadwing
Lestes forficula
Rapids Clubtail
Phanogomphus quadricolor
Red Rock Skimmer
Paltothemis lineatipes