damselfly identification

How do you identify dragonflies and damselflies?

The easiest way to tell the two apart (if they sit still for long enough!) is that damselflies hold their wings closed when they land, whilst dragonflies hold theirs open, at right-angles to their body.

What do damselflies look like?

Adult damselflies have very slender, elongated abdomens, delicate bodies, and 2 pairs of wings that are typically held together over the body. The wings are membranous and elaborately veined. The hindwing is about the same size and shape as the forewing. The eyes are compound, large, but usually do not touch.

What Colour are damselflies?

Females have a metallic green body colour, sometimes bronze-green, terminating in a bronze tip. Wings are iridescent pale-amber/green or bronze without the dark centre colour band. Immature males are similar in body colour to mature males but with brownish eyes and the wing band is brown green.

What does it mean when you see a damselfly?

Dragonflies and damselflies are often depicted in Japanese paintings, representing new light and joy. To some Native Americans, they represent the souls of the dead. Some stories speak of the time in which they used to be real dragons.

What's the difference between a mayfly and a dragonfly?

is that mayfly is any of the many fragile insects of the order ephemeroptera, that develop in fresh water and live very briefly as winged adults while dragonfly is an insect of the suborder epiprocta or, more strictly, the infraorder anisoptera with four long transparent wings held perpendicular to a long body.

Are damselfly and dragonfly the same?

Damselflies have wings that are both the same size and shape, which taper where they attach to the body. Dragonflies, however, have different shaped fore and hind wings. Their hind wings are much broader and don't taper so much where they attach to the body, giving them more of a plane look.

What is the lifespan of a damselfly?

Eggs usually hatch within 1-to-3 weeks. Once hatched, the naiad has an elongated body, long legs and three leaf-like appendages or gills on its tail. Damselflies live for 2 months to 3 years as nymphs, undergoing five to 15 molts as they grow.

Are damselflies dangerous?

They are also one of the most beautiful insects that ever roamed Earth, and they have always been completely harmless to humans. They do not sting or bite. Damselflies are related to Dragonflies.

How long do damselflies live for?

The small damselflies live for a couple of weeks as free-flying adults. The larger dragonflies can live for 4 months in their flying stage. In Britain, lucky Damsel adults seldom manage more than two weeks and Dragons more than two months. Most Damsels rarely go more than a week, and Dragons two or three weeks.

What are the little blue dragonflies called?

The blue dasher (Pachydiplax longipennis) is a dragonfly of the skimmer family.
...

Blue dasher
Family:	Libellulidae
Genus:	Pachydiplax Brauer, 1868
Species:	P. longipennis
Binomial name

Why are damselflies called damselflies?

Zygoptera (damselflies) means “equal winged,” while Anisoptera (dragonflies) means “unequal winged.”

Do dragonflies sting or bite?

The short answer is yes. Keep in mind, though, that dragonflies don't have a stinger, so they won't sting you. ... Dragonflies aren't an aggressive insect, but they can bite out of self-defense when they feel threatened. The bite isn't dangerous, and in most cases, it won't break human skin.

What does it mean when you have a lot of dragonflies in your yard?

If you're seeing them around your house, it may be because your yard harbors their favorite food: mosquitoes. ... Swarming dragonflies could be responding to a high mosquito population, but they also eat several fly species. It's best to let dragonflies be; they'll eat up pests, and they're fun to watch while they do it.

How do you attract damselflies?

Attracting More:

Plant a diverse range of flowering plants to attract flying insects that damselflies will hunt. A small to medium sized pond will also help to attract damselflies to a garden.

Do dragonflies mean snakes are around?

Snake doctor, generally used to refer to dragonflies and damselflies in the South, refers to a folk belief that dragonflies follow snakes around and stitch up injuries they may sustain, especially those that leave them in pieces. ... Both are of the order Odonata, but are of different suborders.

What is the lifespan of a mayfly?

Mayflies spend most of their lives in the water as nymphs and then emerge as adults for only a short while. Adults will live only a day or so, but the aquatic larvae lives for about a year. Their status is unknown. There are more than 600 species of mayfly in the United States and 3,000 worldwide.

How do you identify a mayfly?

Mayflies have one hook on their legs while stoneflies have two hooks on their legs. If the foot doesn't split into two, then it's a mayfly. Check the tails first, then the legs and you should be able to tell the difference with ease.

Is a damselfly a female dragonfly?

Dragonflies come in all sorts of colors like yellow, red, brown, and blue; sometimes the wings have brown spots and bands. Male damselflies typically have iridescent wings and some type of colorful blue, green, or purple body, while the females usually have a golden brown color, even on their wings.

How do you attract dragonflies?

How to Attract Dragonflies to Your Garden

Focus on Water. You don't need a large pond to attract dragonflies. ...
Add Water Plants. Dragonflies breed in water because their young, called nymphs, need hiding places. ...
Edge Your Pond with More Plants. The ideal placement for plants is along the edge of your pond, as they offer more perching sites for dragonflies.

Do Dragonflies eat mosquitoes?

Dragonflies are natural predators for mosquitoes. In fact, they eat them at all stages of life. An individual dragonfly can eat hundreds of mosquitoes each day. ... You can add plants that attract adult dragonflies such as Black-Eyed Susan, Swamp Milkweed, and Joe-Pye weed among others.