dragonfly: Quick Facts

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Last updated

Nov. 9, 2026

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Facts

Also Known As	devil’s darning needle • darner • devil’s arrow • darning needle • Anisoptera

Photos and Videos

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

Long-winged skimmer

Attenborough's pintail

Dragonfly larva

Emperor dragonfly (Anax imperator) with green and blue body and transparent wings, perched at the edge of water.

Dragonfly fossil

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

An adult dragonfly emerging from its brown nymph exoskeleton while clinging to a green stem, showing the process of metamorphosis.

How a dragonfly larva catches prey

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Topics

globe skimmer Attenborough’s pintail entomophagy Odonata damselfly

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

Animal Factoids

Lion (panthera leo)

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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

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Mute swan with cygnet. (birds)

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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