Order Odonata: Dragonflies And Damselflies
Adults: Damselflies and dragonflies are medium to large insects with two pairs of long, equal-sized wings. Damselflies usually hold their wings together above the body while at rest while dragonflies hold their wings outstretched. The bodies of both damselflies and dragonflies are long and slender. They have large compound eyes and very short bristlelike antennae.
Larvae: Damselfly nymphs are relatively slender and have 3 leaflike structures where their gills are located at the tip of the abdomen. Dragonfly nymphs are relatively thick-bodied with gills located inside the rectum.
Family Libellulidae, Skimmers
Key Characteristics: Unmarked powder blue body (mature males) or green body with black markings on the abdomen (females/immature males); white appendages on the tip of the abdomen; eyes green; face green.
Key Characteristics: Face white; thorax and abdomen dark; single yellow spot on abdominal segment seven (mature male) or row of yellow spots on abdomen (female/immature male).
Key Characteristics: Three black patches on each wing; white patches develop between these black patches on mature males maturity. Females have a brown thorax with yellow lateral stripes. Large size.
Key Characteristics: Face white; eyes torquoise blue (mature males) or green to reddish-brown (females/immature males); abdomen powder blue with black tip (mature male) or dark with narrow parallel yellow stripes (females/immature males); base of each hindwing with amber patch.
