Dragonflies: Behaviour and Ecology of Odonata

A monumental work on the biology of dragonflies and damselflies (order Odonata). Corbet, an Emeritus Professor of Zoology at the University of Dundee and a leading authority on Odonata, builds on his earlier A Biology of Dragonflies (1962) to deliver a comprehensive, critical review of global research—published and unpublished—on the behavior and ecology of these insects across all life stages and environments.

The book spans 829 pages, integrating over 4,000 bibliographic entries, 252 drawings, 96 color plates, and nearly 100 appendix tables. It covers both tropical and temperate species, examining their behavior and ecology in functional and evolutionary contexts.

Containing more than 4000 bibliographical entries, this is a critical review of information - published and unpublished, world-wide - on the behaviour and ecology of dragonflies (Insecta: order Odonata) in all stages of the life cycle for both physical and biotic environments. The author integrates information about tropical and temperate species in functional and evolutionary contexts, and reviews facts and ideas in the context of current biological thinking. The treatment emphasizes diversity of behaviour, as well as broad patterns.