Odonata

The Odonata, comprising dragonflies and damselflies, are an order of insects in Europe with about 150 species, thriving near freshwater habitats like ponds and rivers. They range from 20 mm (e.g., small damselflies) to 80 mm (e.g., emperor dragonflies), featuring large, transparent wings and elongated bodies with compound eyes. Key traits: Anisoptera (Dragonflies) are robust, with wings spread horizontally at rest (e.g., Aeshna mixta); Zygoptera (Damselflies) are slender, with wings folded along the body at rest (e.g., Calopteryx splendens). These  insects, along with butterflies, are symbolic of summer and feature prominently in art.

Colours vary from metallic greens and blues to reds, often for mate attraction or camouflage. Nymphs are aquatic, predating on smaller aquatic life with extendable jaws, while adults hunt flying insects. Their lifecycle (egg, nymph, adult) takes 1–5 years, with adults active from spring to autumn, serving as key predators in ecosystems, though they are not of major importance in pest control.

A downloadable list of all the world species can be found at the University of Puget Sound.