Flying Jewels

Gain a newfound appreciation for iridescent damselflies.

- Ken Keffer

 

Blink and you might miss ’em! Less than 3 inches long with thin, delicate bodies, damselflies glide through gardens in search of small flying insects.

Damselflies and dragonflies both come from the same Odonata order (referred to collectively as odonates), but damselflies have noticeably thinner bodies. Damselflies choose from the same menu as dragonflies, but they focus on the smallest items, eating tiny insects like gnats, mosquitoes and midges.

The diversity of colors damselflies display is impressive. Blues and greens are most common, but some species are red, orange or yellow. Coloration often differs between males and females. For example, male bluets are blue, while females may be blue, green or brown.