Odonata is an insect order that includes dragonflies (suborder Anisoptera) and damselflies (suborder Zygoptera). Adult odonates are recognized by their two pairs of narrow, transparent wings, sloping thorax, and long, slender body. They are active during the day and often have striking colors, typically seen flying near water. Both adults and aquatic larvae are voracious predators. There are roughly 5,000 known living species distributed globally, mainly in the tropics. Ancestors of modern Odonata date back over 300 million years. Dragonflies have been held in high regard in Japan, and in other Asian cultures they are considered benign and auspicious. Sixteen percent of dragonfly and damselfly species are at risk of extinction.

Which types of insects are included in the Odonata order?

The insect order Odonata includes two living suborders: Anisoptera (dragonflies) and Zygoptera (damselflies). Dragonflies are strong fliers with a more powerful build than damselflies. They have differently shaped front and rear wing pairs and typically rest with their wings spread horizontally. Damselflies are more delicate and have slender bodies. Odonata also contains four extinct suborders: Protanisoptera, Archizygoptera, Triadophlebiomorpha, and Anisozygoptera. The ancestors of the Odonata date back over 300 million years.

What are the main features of Odonata insects?

Odonata is an insect order that includes dragonflies and damselflies . Easily recognized, adults have two pairs of narrow, transparent wings, a sloping thorax, and a long, slender abdomen. Their coloration varies from metallic to dull. Key features of adult odonates include adaptations to flight, such as large wings strengthened by a complex network of veins. Odonata can beat their fore and hind wings independently, enabling hovering, backward flight, and midair pivots. They have large compound eyes for capturing food and interacting with others. Male damselflies have four tail appendages, while dragonflies have three.

How do dragonflies and damselflies differ from each other?

Dragonflies and damselflies, both belonging to the insect order Odonata , exhibit key differences. Adult dragonflies have differently shaped front and rear wings and rest with their wings spread horizontally, while damselflies have almost identical wings that they hold vertically when at rest. Also, damselflies feature thinner, needlelike abdomens, setting them apart from the more powerful build of dragonflies. Another distinction lies in their eyes: dragonflies possess large, bulging eyes that nearly cover the head, providing a field of vision approaching 360 degrees, whereas the large eyes of damselflies are widely separated. Finally, at the tip of the abdomen, male damselflies have four tail appendages, while dragonflies have only three.

What is the life cycle of an Odonata insect?

The Odonata order, which includes dragonflies and damselflies, undergo a life cycle that begins with eggs laid in or near water. After hatching, the young develop through stages called instars, molting into larger versions of themselves. The aquatic larva differs significantly from the adult. Early instars feed on small water animals, while later instars consume larger prey like midge larvae and small fishes. Larval development can take from three weeks to over 8 years, depending on the species and habitat. There is no pupal stage. The larva transforms into an adult within its skin before climbing out of the water to molt one last time. This process is known as emergence.

Why are Odonata important in ecosystems?

Odonata, which include dragonflies and damselflies, are important to their ecosystems because both the adults and their aquatic larvae are voracious predators. The larvae consume large numbers of mosquitoes and other insect pests, and the adults also prey on various insects. Odonata larvae eat small water animals, including crustaceans and protozoans, and larger larvae consume midge larvae, aquatic beetles, snails, and even small fishes. They, in turn, are preyed upon by fish, frogs, birds, crayfish, and each other.

Odonata

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Male jewelwing damselfly (Calopteryx splendens).

Eight-spotted skimmer dragonfly (Libellula forensis) with a blue body and wings marked by black and white spots, perched on a green leaf.

Odonate life cycle. Click each stage to view details.

Common bluetail damselfly (Ischnura senegalensis).

A large dragonfly with clear wings and a striped black-and-white body rests on the green leaves of a strawberry plant.

Odonate reproduction: damselflies in the "wheel" position

Odonate oviposition (egg laying): damselflies in the tandem position

Odonata

insect order

Also known as: odonate

Written by

Philip S. Corbet

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History

Top Questions

What is Odonata?
Odonata is an insect order that includes dragonflies (suborder Anisoptera) and damselflies (suborder Zygoptera). Adult odonates are recognized by their two pairs of narrow, transparent wings, sloping thorax, and long, slender body. They are active during the day and often have striking colors, typically seen flying near water.

Both adults and aquatic larvae are voracious predators. There are roughly 5,000 known living species distributed globally, mainly in the tropics. Ancestors of modern Odonata date back over 300 million years. Dragonflies have been held in high regard in Japan, and in other Asian cultures they are considered benign and auspicious. Sixteen percent of dragonfly and damselfly species are at risk of extinction.
3 Britannica Sources
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Which types of insects are included in the Odonata order?
The insect order Odonata includes two living suborders: Anisoptera (dragonflies) and Zygoptera (damselflies). Dragonflies are strong fliers with a more powerful build than damselflies. They have differently shaped front and rear wing pairs and typically rest with their wings spread horizontally. Damselflies are more delicate and have slender bodies.

Odonata also contains four extinct suborders: Protanisoptera, Archizygoptera, Triadophlebiomorpha, and Anisozygoptera. The ancestors of the Odonata date back over 300 million years.
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1. nymph
2. dragonfly
3. Odonata
4. damselfly
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
What are the main features of Odonata insects?
Odonata is an insect order that includes dragonflies and damselflies. Easily recognized, adults have two pairs of narrow, transparent wings, a sloping thorax, and a long, slender abdomen. Their coloration varies from metallic to dull.

Key features of adult odonates include adaptations to flight, such as large wings strengthened by a complex network of veins. Odonata can beat their fore and hind wings independently, enabling hovering, backward flight, and midair pivots. They have large compound eyes for capturing food and interacting with others. Male damselflies have four tail appendages, while dragonflies have three.
1 Britannica Source
1. Odonata
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
How do dragonflies and damselflies differ from each other?
Dragonflies and damselflies, both belonging to the insect order Odonata, exhibit key differences. Adult dragonflies have differently shaped front and rear wings and rest with their wings spread horizontally, while damselflies have almost identical wings that they hold vertically when at rest. Also, damselflies feature thinner, needlelike abdomens, setting them apart from the more powerful build of dragonflies.

Another distinction lies in their eyes: dragonflies possess large, bulging eyes that nearly cover the head, providing a field of vision approaching 360 degrees, whereas the large eyes of damselflies are widely separated. Finally, at the tip of the abdomen, male damselflies have four tail appendages, while dragonflies have only three.
3 Britannica Sources
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
What is the life cycle of an Odonata insect?
The Odonata order, which includes dragonflies and damselflies, undergo a life cycle that begins with eggs laid in or near water. After hatching, the young develop through stages called instars, molting into larger versions of themselves.

The aquatic larva differs significantly from the adult. Early instars feed on small water animals, while later instars consume larger prey like midge larvae and small fishes.

Larval development can take from three weeks to over 8 years, depending on the species and habitat. There is no pupal stage. The larva transforms into an adult within its skin before climbing out of the water to molt one last time. This process is known as emergence.
2 Britannica Sources
1. heteropteran: Nymphs
2. Odonata: The larval stage
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Why are Odonata important in ecosystems?
Odonata, which include dragonflies and damselflies, are important to their ecosystems because both the adults and their aquatic larvae are voracious predators. The larvae consume large numbers of mosquitoes and other insect pests, and the adults also prey on various insects. Odonata larvae eat small water animals, including crustaceans and protozoans, and larger larvae consume midge larvae, aquatic beetles, snails, and even small fishes. They, in turn, are preyed upon by fish, frogs, birds, crayfish, and each other.
1 Britannica Source
1. Odonata
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Odonata, insect order comprising the dragonflies (suborder Anisoptera) and the damselflies (suborder Zygoptera). The adults are easily recognized by their two pairs of narrow, transparent wings, sloping thorax, and long, usually slender body; the abdomen is almost always longer than any of the wings. Large, active by day, and often strikingly coloured, they are usually seen flying near water. Adult odonates are voracious predators, as are the aquatic larvae.

The name dragonfly is commonly applied to all odonates, but it is also used to differentiate the suborder Anisoptera from the suborder Zygoptera. The order Odonata is small and well known; the total number of living species probably does not greatly exceed the 5,000 or so already described. Odonates are globally distributed from the tropics, where they are most numerous and varied, to the boreal forests of Siberia and North America. They are also found throughout the Southern Hemisphere, with the exception of Antarctica.

While the basic structure of adults is uniform, coloration is highly variable—hues range from metallic to dull, sometimes in combination. There is also a wide range of sizes; damselfly species have both the shortest and longest wingspans—about 18 mm and 19 cm (0.71 inch and 7.5 inches), respectively. However, some fossil ancestors of today’s odonates had wingspans of more than 70 cm (28 inches).

Odonates are among the few insects that have secured a major place in folklore and art. In Japan, where a journal (Tombo) has been devoted to reports of their biology since 1958, dragonflies (Odonata) traditionally have been held in high regard. In other Asian cultures they are considered benign and auspicious, but in Europe they have often been perceived as threatening, even though they do not injure humans. Long-standing vernacular names such as horse stinger, snake doctor, and devil’s darning needle testify to their formidable appearance.

The young, termed larvae or sometimes nymphs, are functionally wingless and live in a variety of shallow freshwater habitats including tree holes, ponds, marshes, and streams. They are often bottom-dwelling and are well-camouflaged, their mottled or drab colours matching the sediments or water plants around them. Although large numbers of mosquitoes and other insect pests are consumed by larvae and adults, odonates are generally indiscriminate feeders that seldom affect humans economically. Larvae, however, have been used successfully in Myanmar to interrupt transmission of the mosquito-borne disease dengue.

Sea otter (Enhydra lutris), also called great sea otter, rare, completely marine otter of the northern Pacific, usually found in kelp beds. Floats on back. Looks like sea otter laughing. saltwater otters

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Natural history

The larval stage

Eggs are laid in or very near water (exceptions include the terrestrial larvae of a few Hawaiian damselflies (Megalagrion) and Australian woodland dragonflies of the genus Pseudocordulia). The hatchlings then develop through a series of stages, or instars, molting at the end of each instar into similar, but larger and more developed, versions of themselves. Very soon after leaving the egg, the first instar (prolarva) sheds its cuticular sheath, releasing the tiny, spiderlike larva. Because it is aquatic, the larva differs markedly in structure and behaviour from the flight-oriented adult. Wing sheaths are not even apparent in the early instars; it is not until about halfway through larval development that they appear, becoming rapidly larger during subsequent molts. Larvae molt approximately 8 to 17 times, and some grow to more than 5 cm (2 inches) in length. The number of instars varies both within and between species. Early instars feed actively on various small water animals, including tiny crustaceans and protozoans; during later instars the larva feeds on larger prey such as midge larvae, aquatic beetles, snails, and even small fishes.

Larval development can range from three weeks to more than 8 years, depending on the species and habitat. Tropical species generally take less time to develop than those of colder climates. Many temperate species spend their last winter in the final instar and emerge during the spring and early summer. Others spend their last winter as eggs, earlier instars, or immature adults. Odonate larvae are preyed upon mainly by fish but also by frogs, birds, crayfish, and each other. Both larvae and adults are sometimes parasitized by flukes, tapeworms, and mites; minute wasps can parasitize eggs. During emergence odonates are particularly vulnerable to predation by birds, spiders, amphibians, and reptiles.

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There is no pupal stage among odonates, but toward the end of the last instar the larva stops feeding, and its organs transform into those of an adult within the larval skin. A few days later it climbs out of the water on a suitably robust support (usually vegetation) and molts to disclose the adult—a process known as emergence. If the air temperature is high enough, the largest dragonflies will leave the water after sunset and take flight just before sunrise; smaller species typically emerge during the day.

Odonata

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Natural history

The larval stage