Why Look at Dragonflies?

They're beautiful.
It's a good excuse to get out and enjoy nature.
Dragonflies are most active on beautiful sunny days in the afternoon.  My kind of critter!
If you're a photographer, photographing dragonflies is a rewarding challenge.
There are still a lot of unknowns about the biology of dragonflies, and very few professional entomologists getting paid to study them.   That means amateurs can make significant contributions to this field.

 

Dragonflies + Damselflies = Odonates

Dragonflies have smaller cousins called damselflies.

Dragonflies are generally larger and hold their wings horizontal when perched.

Damselflies are generally smaller and hold their wings together over their back when perched.

Collectively, dragonflies and damselflies are referred to as “odonates”, after their Latin name “odonata”.