Dragonflies & Damselflies
Order Odonata
Ancient predatory insects with large multifaceted eyes and two pairs of strong transparent wings. They are agile fliers and important predators of mosquitoes.
Species in this Order (165)
African Blue Emperor
Anax speratus
A large, powerful dragonfly widespread across sub-Saharan Africa. Males have a bright blue abdomen a...
Aldabra Giant Dragonfly
Hemianax ephippiger
A powerful migratory dragonfly found on Aldabra Atoll and across the Indian Ocean region. It underta...
American Rubyspot
Hetaerina americana
A graceful damselfly with brilliant ruby-red patches at the base of the wings in males. Its metallic...
Ancient Greenling
Hemiphlebia mirabilis
The sole surviving member of one of the most ancient damselfly families on Earth....
Arrowhead Spiketail
Cordulegaster obliqua
A large spiketail dragonfly with arrowhead-shaped yellow markings along its dark abdomen. It is foun...
Asian Clubtail
Asiagomphus melaenops
A medium-sized clubtail dragonfly found in clean streams across East Asia. Males have distinctive ye...
Aurora Bluetail Damselfly
Ischnura aurora
A delicate damselfly with a bright orange-and-blue tail tip, found across the Pacific region. It is ...
Australian Emerald
Hemicordulia australiae
A metallic green-eyed dragonfly common near ponds and slow streams across Australia. It hovers sentr...
Australian Emperor Dragonfly
Anax papuensis
A large, powerful dragonfly with a green thorax and blue-spotted abdomen. It is a strong flier commo...
Azure Damselfly
Coenagrion puella
A delicate bright blue and black damselfly and one of the most abundant damselfly species in Europe....
Azure Damselfly of Azores
Ischnura hastata
On the Azores, this species has evolved the only known all-female population of any odonate. These f...
Balkan Goldenring
Cordulegaster heros
The largest dragonfly in Europe, reaching nearly 100 mm in length. It is restricted to clean forest ...
Banded Demoiselle
Calopteryx splendens
A striking damselfly with metallic blue-green body and distinctive dark wing patches in males. It fr...
Banded Groundling
Brachythemis leucosticta
A small, dark African dragonfly with distinctive banded wings. Males develop a pruinose black body w...
Banded Pennant
Celithemis fasciata
A medium-sized dragonfly with bold dark bands across all four wings. Its body is dark with reddish m...
Beautiful Demoiselle
Calopteryx virgo
A stunning damselfly with entirely dark-tinted wings in males and bronze-green wings in females. It ...
Black Darter
Sympetrum danae
Britain s smallest dragonfly where mature males become entirely jet black, unique among European dra...
Black Saddlebags
Tramea lacerata
A large migratory dragonfly with conspicuous black patches at the base of its hindwings. It flies fo...
Black-shouldered Spinyleg
Dromogomphus spinosus
A large, elegant clubtail with distinctive spiny hind legs and black shoulder stripes. It perches co...
Black-tailed Skimmer
Orthetrum cancellatum
A robust dragonfly with a powder-blue abdomen tipped with black in mature males. It basks flat on ba...
Black-winged Damselfly
Calopteryx atrata
A large damselfly where males have entirely black iridescent wings with a metallic blue-green body. ...
Bladetail
Lindenia tetraphylla
A large gomphid dragonfly with leaf-shaped abdominal expansions at the tail....
Blue Dasher
Pachydiplax longipennis
A medium-sized dragonfly with a powdery blue abdomen and metallic green eyes in males. It is one of ...
Blue Hawker
Aeshna caerulea
A small hawker dragonfly with bright blue spots on males and yellow spots on females. It is restrict...
Blue Skimmer
Orthetrum caledonicum
A common Australian dragonfly where mature males develop a powdery blue pruinescence over their abdo...
Blue-eyed Darner
Rhionaeschna multicolor
A large darner dragonfly with striking bright blue eyes and blue spots on a brown body. It is one of...
Blue-fronted Dancer
Argia apicalis
A robust damselfly with vivid blue coloring found in eastern North America. It prefers streams and r...
Bog Hawker
Aeshna subarctica
A rare hawker dragonfly restricted to acidic Sphagnum bogs in northern regions....
Borneo River Cruiser
Macromia cingulata
A large fast-flying dragonfly of pristine river systems in Borneo. It patrols long stretches of rive...
Brilliant Emerald
Somatochlora metallica
A metallic green dragonfly with brilliant emerald green eyes. Males patrol low over sheltered lakes ...
Broad Scarlet
Crocothemis servilia
A robust dragonfly where males are brilliant scarlet-red with a broad flattened abdomen. Females are...
Broad-bodied Chaser
Libellula depressa
A stocky dragonfly with a distinctly flattened, broad abdomen that is powder-blue in males and golde...
Brown Hawker
Aeshna grandis
A large dragonfly entirely brown with amber-tinted wings, unique among European hawkers. Its warm br...
Calico Pennant
Celithemis elisa
A small dragonfly with triangular red or yellow wing spots creating a calico pattern. Males have red...
Canada Darner
Aeshna canadensis
A common large darner of northeastern North America with blue and green markings. Its notched thorac...
Cascade Damselfly
Thaumatoneura inopinata
A rare damselfly found only near waterfalls in Central American cloud forests....
Clubtail Dragonfly
Ophiogomphus cecilia
A green-eyed dragonfly with a club-shaped abdomen tip found along clean rivers....
Cobra Clubtail
Gomphus vastus
A large North American clubtail with a dramatically flared abdomen tip and bold yellow markings. It ...
Common Blue Damselfly
Enallagma cyathigerum
One of the most widespread damselflies. Males are sky blue with black markings. Forms mating wheels ...
Common Bluetail
Ischnura elegans
A small damselfly with a distinctive blue tail-light on segment eight of the abdomen. Females occur ...
Common Clubtail
Gomphus vulgatissimus
A medium-sized dragonfly with a club-shaped abdomen tip and distinctive yellow and black markings. I...
Common Darter
Sympetrum striolatum
Europe's most abundant dragonfly, with mature males turning bright orange-red. It is often the last ...
Common Green Darner
Anax junius
A large migratory dragonfly with a green thorax and blue abdomen found across North America. It unde...
Common Hawker
Aeshna juncea
A large, dark brown hawker dragonfly with blue and yellow spots. It favors upland and moorland habit...
Common Spreadwing
Lestes sponsa
A slender metallic green damselfly that characteristically holds its wings half-open at rest. It is ...
Common Whitetail
Plathemis lydia
A stocky dragonfly where mature males sport a chalky white abdomen and dark wing bands. It is one of...
Crimson Marsh Glider
Trithemis aurora
A dazzling dragonfly where males are vivid crimson-pink with rose-tinted wing bases. Females are oli...
Daintree Ringtail Damselfly
Austrolestes psyche
A slender metallic green damselfly found near rainforest streams in north Queensland. It rests with ...
Delta-spotted Spiketail
Cordulegaster diastatops
A large spiketail of eastern North America with distinctive triangular yellow spots along its dark a...
Demoiselle
Calopteryx haemorrhoidalis
A Mediterranean damselfly with deeply pigmented wings and metallic body coloration....
Desert Firetail Damselfly
Telebasis salva
A bright red damselfly found at ponds and streams in the arid American Southwest. Males are vivid cr...
Desert Threadtail Damselfly
Protoneuridae sp.
A tiny, thread-thin damselfly found near desert springs and oases. It has one of the most restricted...
Downy Emerald
Cordulia aenea
A metallic green dragonfly with a distinctive downy thorax covered in fine golden hairs. Males patro...
Dragonhunter
Hagenius brevistylus
The largest clubtail in North America and a formidable aerial predator. Its massive size and bold bl...
Eastern Forktail
Ischnura verticalis
A small damselfly where males are green and black with a blue tail tip. Young females are bright ora...
Eastern Pondhawk
Erythemis simplicicollis
A robust skimmer dragonfly where mature males are powdery blue and females are vivid green. It is an...
Ebony Jewelwing
Calopteryx maculata
A stunning damselfly with entirely jet-black wings (males) or smoky wings with white spots (females)...
Emperor Dragonfly
Anax imperator
One of the largest dragonflies in Europe. Powerful flier that patrols territories along waterways. C...
Familiar Bluet
Enallagma civile
One of the most common and widespread bluet damselflies in North America. Males are bright blue with...
Fijian Cave Swiftlet Dragonfly
Nesobasis erythrops
An endemic Fijian damselfly found along shaded forest streams on Viti Levu. Males have distinctive r...
Filigree Skimmer
Pseudoleon superbus
A dragonfly with ornate banded wing patterns and arid habitat preferences....
Flame Skimmer
Libellula saturata
A brilliantly red-orange dragonfly found in the southwestern United States and Mexico. Males are unm...
Forest Darner
Austroaeschna pulchra
A handsome darner dragonfly with blue and brown markings found in temperate forests of eastern Austr...
Forest Demoiselle
Calopteryx syriaca
A Near Eastern demoiselle found along streams in the Levant region. Males have dark wings with blue-...
Four-Spotted Chaser
Libellula quadrimaculata
A medium-sized dragonfly with two dark spots on the leading edge of each wing, totaling four. It is ...
Ghost Darner
Anax longipes
A large green-eyed dragonfly with a distinctively long reddish-brown abdomen....
Giant Darner Dragonfly
Tetracanthagyna plagiata
One of the largest dragonflies in the world, with a wingspan exceeding 16 cm. The body is brown with...
Giant Hawaiian Darner
Anax strenuus
The largest dragonfly in the United States, endemic to the Hawaiian Islands. It patrols forest strea...
Giant Petaltail
Petalura gigantea
One of the largest dragonflies in Australia and a living fossil belonging to the most ancient dragon...
Giant Petaltail Dragonfly
Petalura ingentissima
Australias largest dragonfly and one of the most primitive living species, belonging to a family dat...
Globe Skimmer
Pantala flavescens
Holds the record for the longest insect migration — crossing the Indian Ocean from India to East Afr...
Golden-Ringed Dragonfly
Cordulegaster boltonii
The longest dragonfly in Britain, adorned with bold black and yellow rings along its body. Females h...
Graphic Flutterer
Rhyothemis graphiptera
A stunning dragonfly with dark patterned wings that give it a butterfly-like appearance in flight. I...
Green-eyed Hooktail
Paragomphus genei
An African clubtail with bright green eyes and hooked male appendages. It is found along rivers and ...
Green-striped Darner
Aeshna verticalis
A large darner of eastern North America with prominent green thoracic stripes. It flies late in the ...
Ground Skimmer
Diplacodes trivialis
A small dragonfly that becomes powder-blue with age in males. It is one of the most common dragonfli...
Hairy Dragonfly
Brachytron pratense
The earliest-emerging hawker dragonfly in Europe, with a distinctively hairy thorax. Males have blue...
Halloween Pennant
Celithemis eponina
A distinctive dragonfly with boldly patterned orange and brown bands across its wings. It perches at...
Hawaiian Damselfly
Megalagrion hawaiiense
An endemic Hawaiian damselfly with red or orange coloring found near streams. It breeds in flowing w...
Helicopter Dragonfly
Mecistogaster linearis
A forest giant damselfly that plucks spiders from their webs while hovering....
Hine's Emerald Dragonfly
Somatochlora hineana
A brilliant green-eyed emerald dragonfly found in calcareous spring-fed wetlands. It is one of the m...
Horned Clubtail
Arigomphus cornutus
A medium-sized clubtail dragonfly with small horn-like projections on the top of the head. Its body ...
Hyacinth Glider
Miathyria marcella
A delicate dragonfly with a violet-tinted thorax and a slender banded abdomen. It is common in the A...
Indian Jewelwing
Vestalis gracilis
A large, shimmering emerald-green damselfly found in the rainforests of South and Southeast Asia. Bo...
Insignia Goldenring
Cordulegaster insignis
A large goldenring dragonfly of Turkey and the Near East with bold yellow markings. It patrols mount...
Japanese Goldenring
Anotogaster sieboldii
One of the largest dragonflies in East Asia with bold black and yellow body rings. It is widespread ...
Julia Skimmer
Orthetrum julia
A slender African dragonfly where mature males develop a striking black and white pattern. It is fou...
Keeled Skimmer
Orthetrum coerulescens
A slender dragonfly where mature males develop a powder-blue abdomen. Females and immature males are...
Kirby's Dropwing
Trithemis kirbyi
A bright orange-red dragonfly widespread across Africa and into southern Asia. Males have distinctiv...
Lance-tipped Darner
Aeshna constricta
A large brown darner with blue spots common in eastern North America. It is a late-season flier, act...
Lancet Clubtail
Phanogomphus exilis
A small, slender clubtail dragonfly of eastern North America with greenish-yellow markings. It frequ...
Large Red Damselfly
Pyrrhosoma nymphula
One of the first damselflies to emerge each spring in Europe, with a distinctive bright red body and...
Lesser Emperor
Anax parthenope
A large dragonfly with a brownish thorax and distinctive blue saddle at the base of its abdomen. It ...
Madagascar Giant Darter
Anax tumorifer
A large dragonfly endemic to Madagascar that frequents forest pools and marshes. It is one of the la...
Mascarene Island Dragonfly
Thalassothemis marchali
A skimmer dragonfly endemic to Mauritius and Reunion in the Mascarene Islands. It patrols ponds and ...
Mascarene Spreadwing
Lestes auripennis
A rare damselfly endemic to Mauritius and Reunion in the Mascarene Islands. It breeds in slow-flowin...
Migrant Hawker
Aeshna mixta
A medium-sized hawker dragonfly that has significantly expanded its range northward in Europe. It fl...
Mountain Demoiselle
Calopteryx exul
A rare North African demoiselle restricted to mountain streams in Algeria and Tunisia. Males have da...
Neon Skimmer
Libellula croceipennis
A brilliantly red dragonfly of the American Southwest with amber-tinted wings. Males are an intense ...
Norfolk Damselfly
Coenagrion armatum
A critically rare damselfly once found in the Norfolk Broads of England, now extinct in Britain. Sma...
Norfolk Hawker
Aeshna isoceles
A rare, warm-brown hawker with striking green eyes and a distinctive yellow triangle on the second a...
Norfolk Hawker
Anaciaeschna isosceles
A large brown hawker dragonfly with distinctive green eyes and a yellow triangle on the second abdom...
Northern Damselfly
Coenagrion johanssoni
A delicate blue and black damselfly with narrow wings held together above the body at rest. Males ha...
Northern White-faced Darter
Leucorrhinia rubicunda
A small dragonfly with a dark body, white face, and reddish markings on the abdomen. Males are more ...
Ogasawara Damselfly
Rhinocypha ogasawarensis
A striking damselfly endemic to the Bonin (Ogasawara) Islands of Japan. Males display iridescent blu...
Orange-bellied Skimmer
Libellula jesseana
A rare North American dragonfly found in acidic bog ponds and fens. It is extremely localized across...
Orange-spotted Emerald
Oxygastra curtisii
A rare metallic green dragonfly with golden spots along its abdomen....
Oriental Demoiselle
Calopteryx cornelia
A Japanese demoiselle with shimmering blue-black wings and a metallic green body. It is endemic to J...
Pacific Spiketail
Cordulegaster dorsalis
The only spiketail dragonfly on the Pacific coast of North America. It has a dark brown body with ye...
Paddle-tailed Darner
Aeshna palmata
A large, boldly marked darner of western North America with distinctive paddle-shaped cerci. Males h...
Painted Skimmer
Libellula semifasciata
An attractive dragonfly with amber-tinted wings marked by brown bands and spots. It is an early-seas...
Petaltail Dragonfly
Tachopteryx thoreyi
A primitive dragonfly that perches on tree trunks and has bog-dwelling larvae....
Rambur's Forktail
Ischnura ramburii
A widespread New World damselfly where males are green and black with a blue tail tip. Females come ...
Red and Blue Damselfly
Xanthagrion erythroneurum
A small damselfly where males display striking red and blue coloring. It is one of the most colorful...
Red-eyed Damselfly
Erythromma najas
A stocky blue damselfly with distinctive dark red eyes. It spends most of its time perched on floati...
Red-faced Skimmer
Orthetrum testaceum
A robust Asian dragonfly where mature males develop a vivid red face and body. Females are brownish-...
Red-veined Darter
Sympetrum fonscolombii
A striking darter dragonfly with red veins on the leading edge of the wings and a vivid blue undersi...
Relict Himalayan Dragonfly
Epiophlebia laidlawi
A living fossil dragonfly from the Himalayas that retains features of both dragonflies and damselfli...
Reunion Riverjack
Zygonyx elisabethae
A large dragonfly endemic to the island of Reunion in the Indian Ocean. It patrols waterfalls and fa...
Ringed Cascader
Zygonyx torridus
A dragonfly that hunts exclusively over rapids and waterfalls in warm climates....
River Clubtail
Stylurus flavipes
A large clubtail dragonfly with yellow and black markings and a distinctly expanded abdomen tip. It ...
River Jewelwing
Calopteryx aequabilis
A North American damselfly with narrow dark wing tips in males and a metallic green body. It prefers...
Roseate Skimmer
Orthemis ferruginea
A dragonfly where mature males develop a beautiful rosy-pink to violet abdomen. Females are brown wi...
Ruddy Darter
Sympetrum sanguineum
A small dragonfly where mature males turn deep blood-red with a distinctly club-shaped abdomen. Fema...
Russet-tipped Clubtail
Stylurus plagiatus
A handsome clubtail with orange-brown wingtips and a distinctly widened club-shaped abdomen. It flie...
San Francisco Forktail Damselfly
Ischnura gemina
A tiny damselfly restricted to a few freshwater ponds near the San Francisco Bay coast. It is threat...
Sapphire Flutterer
Rhyothemis triangularis
A small dragonfly with sapphire-blue metallic patches on its hindwings. It has a fluttering, butterf...
Sapphire Jewelwing
Vestalis luctuosa
A large Southeast Asian damselfly with a dark metallic blue body and dark-tipped wings. Males shimme...
Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly
Ischnura pumilio
One of Europe's smallest damselflies, with a black body and a single blue segment near the tail tip....
Scarce Chaser
Libellula fulva
A medium-sized dragonfly where mature males develop a powdery blue abdomen. It is associated with cl...
Scarlet Percher
Diplacodes haematodes
A brilliant scarlet-red dragonfly found across northern and inland Australia. Males are among the mo...
Scarlet Skimmer
Crocothemis erythraea
A medium-sized dragonfly where males are entirely vivid scarlet red, including the veins of the wing...
Seychelles Cascader
Zygonyx hookeri
A large dragonfly endemic to the Seychelles that breeds in fast-flowing streams and waterfalls. Adul...
Shadow Darner
Aeshna umbrosa
A large, dark darner that hunts in shaded forest edges during evening hours. It is widespread across...
Shadowdamsel
Palaemnema paulicoba
A delicate damselfly that lives in deep shade along tropical forest streams....
Slaty Skimmer
Libellula incesta
A dark, slate-blue dragonfly of eastern North America. Mature males are uniformly dark blue-black, m...
Small Goldenring
Cordulegaster trinacriae
A Mediterranean goldenring dragonfly found in Italy and nearby regions. It is smaller than most gold...
Small Red Damselfly
Ceriagrion tenellum
A delicate damselfly where males are almost entirely red, a rare color for damselflies. Females come...
Smoky Rubyspot
Hetaerina titia
A damselfly with dark smoky wings and amber-red basal patches in males. It is found along forested s...
Southern Damselfly
Coenagrion mercuriale
A rare and declining European damselfly with a mercury-symbol-shaped mark on segment two. It is rest...
Southern Hawker
Aeshna cyanea
A large, inquisitive dragonfly with apple-green and blue markings on a dark body. It is known for it...
Southern Skimmer
Orthetrum brunneum
A robust skimmer dragonfly where males develop a pale powder-blue pruinescence. Females are brown wi...
Sparkling Jewelwing
Calopteryx xanthostoma
A southwestern European demoiselle closely related to the Banded Demoiselle. Males have broad dark w...
Splendid Clubtail
Gomphidia abbotti
A large, impressive Asian clubtail with bold yellow and black markings. It inhabits forested rivers ...
Sri Lankan Relict Dragonfly
Lankanectes corrugatus
A rare clubtail dragonfly endemic to Sri Lanka's wet zone streams. It has declined sharply due to wa...
Stream Jewelwing
Neurobasis chinensis
A spectacular tropical damselfly where males have iridescent metallic green hindwings that flash in ...
Superb Jewelwing
Calopteryx amata
An East Asian damselfly with iridescent metallic green body and dark wings with blue-purple reflecti...
Swamp Darner
Austroaeschna parvistigma
A medium-sized brown and blue darner dragonfly found along shaded creeks in southeastern Australia. ...
Swamp Darner
Epiaeschna heros
The largest dragonfly in eastern North America with a distinctive ringed abdomen. It patrols forest ...
Tau Emerald
Hemicordulia tau
A metallic emerald-green dragonfly with bright green eyes and a distinctive T-shaped yellow marking ...
Twelve-Spotted Skimmer
Libellula pulchella
A showy dragonfly with three dark spots on each wing, totaling twelve. Mature males develop addition...
Twin-spotted Spiketail
Cordulegaster maculata
A large, dark brown spiketail with paired yellow spots on each abdominal segment. It is the most com...
Two-toothed Goldenring
Cordulegaster bidentata
A large, dark goldenring dragonfly of central European mountain streams. It is distinguished from ot...
Vagrant Emperor
Anax ephippiger
A nomadic dragonfly that wanders vast distances across Africa, Europe, and Asia. It has a sandy-brow...
Variable Damselfly
Coenagrion pulchellum
A blue damselfly with highly variable black markings, making identification challenging. Males have ...
Violet Dropwing
Trithemis annulata
A stunning dragonfly where mature males turn deep violet-purple with red wing veins. It is expanding...
Vivid Dancer
Argia vivida
A brightly colored dancer damselfly of western North America with intense blue-violet markings. It t...
Wandering Glider
Pantala hymenaea
A medium-sized dragonfly with broad hindwings and a yellowish body. It spends almost its entire life...
Wandering Percher
Diplacodes bipunctata
A small dragonfly where males turn deep red with maturity while females remain yellow and brown. It ...
White-faced Darter
Leucorrhinia dubia
A small dragonfly with a distinctive white face and red markings on a dark body. It is a specialist ...
White-legged Damselfly
Platycnemis pennipes
A pale, delicate damselfly with distinctively flattened white legs that the male waves during courts...
Widow Skimmer
Libellula luctuosa
A distinctive dragonfly with broad dark wing patches at the base and white bands beyond them in matu...
Yellow-spotted Tree Damselfly
Platycypha caligata
A colorful damselfly from African forest streams with males showing bright red and white leg flags. ...
Yellow-striped Flutterer
Rhyothemis phyllis
A small dragonfly with bold yellow and black stripes on its wings. It flies in a distinctive flutter...
Yellow-winged Darter
Sympetrum flaveolum
A medium-sized darter with extensive saffron-yellow patches at the base of all four wings. Males are...