Dragonflies, Damselflies, Demoiselles, Chasers, Darters and Skimmers (Odonata)

This group of colourful insects is invariably associated with water although individuals can be found considerable distances away from the nearest ponds or rivers. Only adults, which have two pairs of wings, are seen flying around, the larval stages are spent under water. Members of this group spend the majority of their lives as larvae under water; indeed some may spend as much as four years as larvae before emerging as adults for a few weeks during which they mate and lay their eggs. They are carnivorous insects which prey on smaller invertebrates (animals without backbones) and they, in turn, are eaten by fish and larger invertebrates, during their larval stages, and birds and spiders, when adult.

This insect order is split into two distinct suborders. One, the Zygoptera, are characterised by having fore- and hindwings of similar shape and size which are generally folded back over the abdomen (body) when at rest. Damselflies and Demoiselles belong to this suborder. The other suborder, the Anisoptera, are generally larger and have fore and hind wings of different shapes which they hold out flat at right angles to their body when at rest. This group includes the Dragonflies, Darters, Chasers and Skimmers.

Sixteen species have been recorded from Plymouth, of which four have only been discovered in the last three years. Nine of these species are common and widespread in Plymouth; the remainder are rather uncommon and of local distribution. One species, the Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly (Ischnura pumilio) is nationally rare.

The individual species accounts are straightforward. A double click on the thumbnails will blow them up into 15x12 cm images. Be aware that the bar chart associated with the

'When to look for it' heading on the individual species page applies to adult specimens only; larvae are to be found throughout the calendar year. The distribution maps show the outline of the Citys boundaries superimposed with a five kilometre grid Note that the grid in the map below is a ten kilometre grid. Records, in the species accounts, are represented by a red circle superimposed on the one kilometre grid from which the species has been recorded.