Insects of the order Odonata are fascinating creatures, diverse and beautiful.  Here I present assorted images of the two suborders: dragonflies (Anisoptera) and damselflies (Zygoptera), often spoken of collectively as "dragonflies."  These pictures are not meant to meet documentation standards or necessarily to show field marks for identification purposes.  My intent is to capture the essence of these winged predators - their behavior, their charm, their personae, if you will.  Much of the factual information about odonates I have drawn from Sidney Dunkle's book "Dragonflies through Binoculars" (Oxford Univ. Press, 2000).

I begin with one of my favorite photographs, rather than at any sort of logical starting point. Some spreadwing (Lestes) species are notoriously difficult to identify, even in the hand, and I'm calling this peekaboo bug "spreadwing species".  On the right is a shot of the terminal appendages of a spreadwing; these can be helpful in identification, but they can be confounding as well, often exhibiting only minute differences between species.

They are such elegant bugs, however, that it's worth the effort to try to learn how to differentiate among them (I guess).  The odonate on the left was observed at Arrowhead Environmental Education Center in Floyd County in early September of 2003 and is likely a Southern Spreadwing.

Dragonflies lay eggs in or near water, and they hatch in anywhere from five days to several months (Dunkle), depending on species.  And the resultant larvae remain in that state for as little as one month to as long as eight years (Dunkle), shedding  their cuticular skins (exuviae) in order to grow.  At final emergence, the vulnerable dragonfly or damselfly is termed "teneral" until the wings lose their early iridescent sheen and the exoskeleton hardens.  On the left is a newly emerged odonate, likely a Blue Corporal, considering the early spring timing of the final molt and the presence of others of this species nearby.  On the right is a probable Mocha Emerald, both species photographed on the Berry College campus in Floyd County.

Dragonflies exhibit a multiplicity of fascinating behaviors.  On hot days, some species engage in "obelisking" in which the abdomen is elevated in order to expose less surface area to the sun.  They can look awfully cute doing this, too!      

Everybody's got to eat. Dragonflies are carnivores, and the size of their prey varies with the species; according to Dunkle  larger prey is taken by the less advanced dragonflies and, when it is taken, it is eaten head first.  I have an image that supports this contention!  Shown here is a Russet-tipped Clubtail being consumed by a Blackwater Clubtail.

Mating in dragonflies is a complex activity.  The male first grasps the female by the head, and the pair are said to be in tandem.  If sperm have not already been transferred from the primary to the accessory male genitalia, it is done at this time, and the pair then attempt to connect for the transfer of sperm from male to female.  I arbitrarily deem this the "fishhook" position.      When the final connection is made, the two dragons are said to be in "wheel" or "heart" postition.  I prefer the latter.  They may or may not completely separate for the actual laying of the eggs.

I really enjoy photographing the faces of dragonflies.  Here are a few, the first entitled," These lips are made for kissing."  The last dragon has the very appropriate common name Cyrano (as in de Bergerac) Darner.  Hold the cursor over an image to view descriptive text.

And lastly, here is a small sampling of the incredible variety of these amazing creatures that can be seen in our area.

                                     

 

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