Dragonflies (suborder Anisoptera) and damselflies (suborder Zygoptera) are very similar (both from the order Odonata), but there is one way to tell most of them apart. Wings a waggin’? Might be a dragon. Wings up high? Damselfly. Check out this short Nature Nubbin video we put together to help you sort out those dragonflies and damselflies!
More Resources
Want to learn more about dragonflies and damselflies? Here are a few more resources to explore.
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- I love the book, Dragonflies and Damselflies of Georgia and the Southeast by Giff Beaton. First and foremost, the book is LOADED with photos and info on over 150 species of dragonflies and damselflies. The book is also designed to be useable as a field guide and the cover is sturdy enough to hold up well when you take it with you on your outdoor adventures.
- Check out the Dragonflies section and the Damselflies section at BugGuide.net to learn more about how to identify specific species of dragonflies and damselflies, see example photos, and even submit the occasional ID Request to the experts.
- We use the iNaturalist app and website regularly to help us learn and potentially identify all sorts of plants and animals that we encounter when we are out and about. You can browse around the Odonata observations to see pictures of dragonflies and damselflies, maps of where different species are found, and even record your own observations if you like. The app may not always get the perfect ID match for you, but it can certainly put you on the path to discovering just which dragonfly or damselfly you saw!
In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind.