See also Photos of dragonflies and damselfies of the FWG Checklist of the Dragonflies and Damselflies of Ottawa-Gatineau

Dragonflies and damselflies MOST NATURE ENTHUSIASTS are aware of the odonates (damselflies and dragonflies). Even those who know them only from cottages or camping recognize that not only are they beautiful, but they are also welcome predators, consuming 1000s of blackflies, deerflies, and mosquitoes (i.e., all the "nasties" who prey on us!) during their short but amazing lives. However, not many people know that there are 511 different species in North America, including approximately 163 in Ontario — 120 occur in the Ottawa-Hull area (within 50 km of the Peace Tower)! Until very recently, only highly technical and rather intimidating scientific publications were available for learning about these insects, but thanks to an increased interest especially among bird-watchers, a few more user-friendly field guides are finally coming off the presses. Odonates belong to an ancient order of insects that is at least 300 million years old. And their life cycle gives us many clues as to how they managed to persist (with very few changes over the millennia) for so long. They were built for survival! Odonate eggs are laid in aquatic environments such as ponds, lakes, and rivers (most species prefer specific habitats). They hatch into larvae commonly called "nymphs" — a deceptively pretty name for what are truly bizarre-looking crawling creatures with voracious appetites and hunting techniques that would rival those of "Jaws." After several weeks to several months of preying on tadpoles, insect larvae, and sometimes each other, the odonate nymphs eventually crawl out of the water, breathe air, and the adults emerge. The emergence is a spectacular event for those lucky enough to observe it. The young adult, called a "teneral," bursts through the back of the nymphal skin and pulls itself out. Once its wings and body are fully expanded, dried, and hardened, the teneral begins its life in flight. And what a life! Most odonate species live for only a few weeks, but their lives are full of experiences that might make many humans envious: long-distance travel, aerial hunting and territorial battles, high-tech body designs (including nearly 360 vision and the ability to fly both forward and backward at high speeds), and lots of very acrobatic sex. During mating, the male uses claspers at the end of his abdomen to grasp the female behind her head. If she accepts him, she bends her own abdomen around so that her vulvar plates meet his secondary genitalia, which are located near the underside of his thorax — and a heart-shaped "flying wheel" is created. With her sharp ovipositor, the female deposits her eggs into moist soil, aquatic vegetation, or directly into the water... and the life cycle begins again. Although all odonates lead similar lives, the diversity of families, genera, and species within the order is remarkable in terms of appearance and behaviour. Many of our common damselflies and dragonflies can be easy to identify, even through binoculars or with the naked eye. But most can only be learned through capture and close examination of the various colour patterns and the genitalia. It is not necessary to harm them, but it sure can be a lot of fun trying to capture them, and it's always awesome to get up-close and personal with these winged wonders! DAMSELFLIES (suborder Zygoptera) are generally small and delicate, with widely separated eyes and wings that are usually held together above the thorax. Weak fliers compared to dragonflies, they are often found hiding among vegetation or flying low over ponds and streams. Some of the common damselflies that may be found at the FWG are: Common Spreadwing (Lestes disjunctus) — slender, grey-blue, with wings held apart in a V-shape while perched. Spotted Spreadwing (Lestes congener) — smaller and darker than L. disjunctus, with two dark spots under both sides of the thorax. One of our latest-flying damselflies (two were found by Bob Bracken and Chris Lewis at the Amphibian Pond as late as 2 Nov 2000). Marsh Bluet (Enallagma ebrium) and Hagen's Bluet (E. hageni) — both species are tiny and vividly patterned black and turquoise blue, and are virtually indistinguishable from each other without looking at the genitalia with a magnifying lens. Eastern Forktail (Ischnura verticalis) — very tiny; males are distinctive with a green-and-black striped thorax, dark abdomen, and brilliant blue "butt." DRAGONFLIES (suborder Anisoptera) are generally more robust, although some species may be nearly as small as damselflies. Some families have eyes that join, others have separated eyes, but all anisopterans hold their wings out at right-angles to the thorax, like miniature airplanes — and they can fly like jet-fighters! A few species that are very common in Ottawa and may be seen at the FWG are: Common Green Darner (Anax junius) — huge and obvious. Mature adults have a bright green thorax and pale blue abdomen. Seldom seen perched, except while maturing after emergence. Canada Darner (Aeshna canadensis) — very large, dark brown with bright blue or greenish patterning on the thorax and abdomen. Must be caught to be identified, as many species in the genus Aeshna look very similar, but quite a challenge to catch these beasts! Common Whitetail (Libellula lydia) — males are distinctive, with white abdomen and wide black bands across the centre of all four wings. Often perch on flat surfaces. Four-spotted Skimmer (Libellula quadrimaculata) — Stout and brownish-yellow, with small brown and yellow spots at the base and centre of the wings and yellow highlights along the top margin of the wings. Perch frequently in vegetation. Twelve-spotted Skimmer (Libellula pulchella) — large and active, seldom perching. Males are distinctive, with bold alternating black-and-white patches on the wings. White-faced Meadowhawk (Sympetrum obtrusum) — small and deep red (mature males), with a white "face." Females are duller with pale greenish-yellow faces. Yellow-legged Meadowhawk (Sympetrum internum) — very small; abundant in late summer and early fall. Mature males are reddish-orange with reddish-brown faces and yellow to brownish legs; all other meadowhawk species have mainly black legs. One of our latest flying dragonflies — our latest record for the FWG is 2 Nov 2000. Ten days later, we found six at the Britannia Conservation area — our latest record for ANY odonate in the Ottawa area! MORE INFO Good references for beginners Bracken, R., Lewis, C. 1998. A Checklist of the Dragonflies and Damselflies of Ottawa-Hull. Trail and Landscape, 32(3): 126–136. The Ottawa Field-Naturalists' Club Dunkle, S.W. 2000. Dragonflies through binoculars. Oxford University Press, New York, NY Holder, M., Burke, P., Kingsley, A. 1996. The dragonflies and damselflies of Algonquin Provincial Park (Algonquin Park Technical Bulletin No. 11). Friends of Algonquin Park, Whitney, ON On-line references Legler, K., Westover, D. 1998. Color guide to common dragonflies of Wisconsin. Karl Legler, 429 Franklin St., Sauk City, WI 53583-1228. [http://userpages.chorus.net/karlndot/] Visit Digital Dragonflies for more about dragonfly identification and fabulous pictures. This page was revised on 2 July 2009 Text and drawings: Christina Lewis, OFNC © Fletcher Wildlife Garden Our e-mail address