About

Dragonflies and Damselflies are Insects

Dragonflies were some of the first winged insects to evolve, some 300 million years ago. 

Modern dragonflies have wingspans of only five to fifteen cm, but fossil dragonflies have been found with wingspans close to a meter.

Dragonflies belong to the Order Odonata. 

From the Greek  odontos (tooth) apparently because they have teeth on their mandibles, even though most insects also have toothed mandibles.

The Order Odonata is divided into two Suborders:

The Suborder Zygoptera commonly known as Damselflies.

The origin of the name is from Greek zugós meaning even, and pterá meaning wings - the front and hind wings are essentially of the same shape.

The Suborder Anisoptera commonly known as Dragonflies.

The origin of the name is also from Greek ánisos, “uneven”  and pterón, “wing”, reflecting that the hindwing is broader than the forewing and of a different shape.

Why are they called Dragonflies?

In old Romanian folklore, St. George rid the mythical town of Silence of the dragon that lived in the town’s pond and poisoned the town. After wounding the dragon, he leashed the dragon and gave it to the town’s princess. Saint George’s horse became a giant flying insect when cursed by the devil. 

In the Romanian language, the word for dragonfly translates into Devil’s fly. The Romanian word for devil is drac, which can also indicates dragon. In English it translated to dragonfly.

And Damselflies?

One of the loveliest traditions comes from the Scandinavian (Æsir) culture that  associates damselflies with maidenhood and Freya, the pagan goddess of love.

Dragonflies and Damselflies are predators.

Both as larvae

and as adults

Damselflies and Dragonflies are predators, feeding on live prey.

Larvae or nymphs typically live underwater, feeding on invertebrates and even tadpoles and small fish. Adults eat mainly other insects, such as flies, midges and mosquitoes. They will also take butterflies and even smaller dragonflies. Prey is normally caught in mid-air, with the dragonfly using its long legs to catch its quarry. the food will them be carried to a perch where it is eaten.

Why study Dragonflies?

Dragonflies are excellent indicators of habitat quality especially of wetlands.