Types of Dragonflies
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Typically dragonflies are larger than damselflies and their wings lay flat, like an airplane, when they are at rest.
Most damselflies at rest keep their wings closed against their body or a bit above the body. The exception would be spreadwing damselflies.
The types of dragonflies presented here draws from the family placement in the two primary dragonfly superfamilies, Aeshnoidea and Libelluloidea.
These two superfamilies divide into the seven smaller families commonly associated with dragonfly identification. Usually species within families share similar physical characteristics.
Dragonfly identification begins by looking at the different parts of the insect, i.e., the face, the eyes, the thorax and the abdomen. By picking up on specific characteristics of the parts, it becomes easier to place a dragonfly into a specific family and then species.
The links in the box point to articles describing the different dragonfly families in further detail. The link to dragonfly pictures provides more detailed descriptions of individual species.
© 2006-2008. Patricia A. Michaels