Dragonfly Lifespan: How Long Do Dragonflies Live?

A dragonfly’s lifespan is much longer than the commonly repeated “24 hours” myth. Depending on the species, the complete life cycle can last from about … Read More

The Slaty Skimmer (Libellula incesta) is a medium-sized dragonfly native to eastern North America. Mature males are especially distinctive, with dark slate-blue to nearly black … Read More

Damselfly larvae are slender aquatic predators that spend most of their lives hidden beneath the surface of ponds, lakes, streams, and wetlands. Also called damselfly … Read More

The Blue-tailed Damselfly (Ischnura elegans) is a small but distinctive freshwater insect recognized by its mostly dark abdomen and bright blue “tail-light” near the tip. … Read More

The Common Blue Damselfly (Enallagma cyathigerum) is one of Britain’s most widespread and familiar damselflies. Mature males are bright blue with bold black markings, while … Read More

The Great Blue Skimmer dragonfly (Libellula vibrans) is one of the largest and most striking skimmers found in eastern North America. Mature males develop a … Read More

The emperor dragonfly (Anax imperator), also called the blue emperor, is one of Europe’s largest and most impressive dragonflies. Males are easily recognized by their … Read More

The blue-eyed darner is a large, fast-flying dragonfly best known for its brilliant blue eyes and colorful body markings. Scientifically called Rhionaeschna multicolor, this western … Read More

The great blue skimmer (Libellula vibrans) is one of the largest and most impressive skimmer dragonflies in eastern North America. Mature males develop a powdery … Read More

The twelve-spotted skimmer (Libellula pulchella) is a distinctive North American dragonfly named for the twelve dark patches spread across its four transparent wings. Mature males … Read More

The blue dasher dragonfly is a small but striking dragonfly commonly seen around ponds, lakes, marshes, and slow-moving water across much of North America. Mature … Read More

The widow skimmer (Libellula luctuosa) is a striking North American dragonfly known for broad dark patches across the bases of all four wings. Mature males … Read More