Dragonfly Field Guide in North America

The coloring on male and female dragonflies can differ.

Dragonflies are among the oldest insects on Earth, dating to 300 million years, before dinosaurs and birds. They belong to the order Odonata, along with damselflies. The Greek "odon" means "tooth," as these toothed predators feed on flies and other insects. Dragonflies (suborder Anisoptera) differ from damselflies (suborder Zygoptera) in that they are larger and their wings do not fold against their bodies when at rest. Dragonflies have large eyes with about 30,000 facets that enable a nearly 360-degree field of vision. They have two sets of transparent wings, elongated bodies and six legs, though they cannot walk. More than 5,000 species of dragonflies dart around on Earth.

Life Cycle

A dragonfly mating wheel.

Dragonflies are hatched from eggs laid in or near water. The young dragonflies, called nymphs or naiads, take three to five years to reach maturity, when they molt out of their old skin. Males have two sets of sex organs, and they mate in a circular formation. Most dragonflies can be found near streams, ponds or lakes.

Family Aeshnidae

Common green darner (Anax junius).

The aeshnidae family features darners, the largest and fastest-flying dragonflies. They are called darners for the females' resemblance to darning needles, as they curve their abdomens and cut into plant stems to deposit their eggs. Most darners are blue and green, and some have black or yellow markings. They feed near lakes and ponds on insects and small fish. They can be found throughout North America and Europe.

Family Libellulidae

Widow skimmer (Libellula luctuosa).

The largest family of dragonflies, libellulidae, contains more than 1,000 species, including pennants, meadowhawks, gliders, pondhawks, saddlebags, whitetails and skimmers. Their lower lips, or labium, create a mask over the lower part of the face. Many are bright-colored or with banded wings. They are common around the world.

Family Gomphidae

Pale snaketail (Omphiogomphus severus).

Gomphid dragonflies include clubtails and snaketails. They are characterized by widely separated compound eyes and sprawling legs. They mate and reproduce in streams but fly away from water in shady woods and along roadsides. Their primary range is along the West Coast of North America.

Family Cordulegastridae

Twin-spotted spiketail (Cordulegaster maculata).

This small family includes spiketails, which have brown or black bodies with yellow markings, usually in spots or stripes. They fly along small woodland streams, and females lay their eggs in sand in clear, shallow water.

Family Corduliidae

Orange shadowdragon (Neurocordulia xanthosoma).

The Corduliidae family includes cruisers, baskettails, green-eyed skimmers, sundragons, shadowdragons, boghaunters and emeralds. Many have emerald-green eyes, dark brown or black bodies and green or yellow markings. Hine's Emerald dragonfly is listed as endangered in the U.S., with small populations concentrated in the Midwest.

Damselflies

A damselfly at rest.

Damselflies are closely related to and often mistaken for dragonflies, but can fold their wings back against their bodies when they are resting, and tend to be smaller. North American damselfly families include Calopterygidae (jewelwings, rubyspots, broad-winged damsels), Lestidae (spreadwings), Coenagrionidae (dancers, bluets, pond damsels) and Macromiidae (cruisers).

References

• U.S. Geological Survey: Dragonflies and Damselflies of the United States
• Cirrus: Dragonflies of North America
• eNature.com: Field Guides

Resources

• Odonata Central: Dragonfly Society of the Americas
• University of Puget Sound: North American Odonata