damselfly: Quick Facts

Written and fact-checked by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Facts

Also Known As	snake doctor • Zygoptera

Photos

A metallic blue-green Beautiful Demoiselle damselfly, Calopteryx virgo, perches on a green fern with its wings closed.

Ebony jewelwing

Two Mnais mneme damselflies mating, perched on a green blade of grass with a blurred grassy background.

Common bluetail damselfly (Ischnura senegalensis).

Male jewelwing damselfly (Calopteryx splendens).

damselfly: banded demoiselle

parts of an adult damselfly

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

Damselfly emergence from cocoon

See All Images →

Topics

Odonata dragonfly

The bearded vulture (Gypaetus barbatus) is seen in Switzerland on December 2024

Animal Factoids

Lion (panthera leo)

Deadliest Animals Quiz

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

Animal Group Names

wasp. Vespid Wasp (Vespidaea) with antennas and compound eyes drink nectar from a cherry. Hornets largest eusocial wasps, stinging insect in the order Hymenoptera, related to bees. Pollination

Know Your Bugs Quiz

Mute swan with cygnet. (birds)

Match the Baby Animal to Its Mama Quiz