Dragonflies and Damselflies

Many people, at one time or another, have watched and admired the beauty of the dragon and damselflies. Dashing and darting in search of prey, they provide an awesome display of speed, the ability to hover and overall amazing aerial acrobatics.

Worldwide there are more than 5,000 species of Odonata, with 450 species in North America, and 162 recorded from Ohio. Dragonflies and damselflies come in a rainbow of colors including blues, greens, yellows and reds, various metallic colors, and with some stripes or spots thrown in for good measure.

So how can you tell the difference between a dragonfly and a damselfly? Damselflies are more slender and delicate than dragonflies and, when sitting still, fold their four wings together over their abdomen. Dragonflies, on the other hand, are strong flyers who rarely sit for long but when they do, hold their wings straight out, like an airplane. Both have large compound eyes that take up most of the head.

One of the smallest dragonflies in Ohio is the elfin skimmer which is less than an inch long. The largest rarely exceed five inches. This was not always the case. Fossilized remains of dragonflies, dating back 250 million years, show wingspans of twenty-seven inches.

The adult dragon and damsel flies are true carnivores, eating huge amounts of insects, especially mosquitoes and gnats. They catch their food while flying, scooping the prey out of the air in a