10 Most Beautiful Dragonflies In The World

Dragonflies are fascinating insects with striking colors and elegance. Although we often talk about dragonflies in general, in truth, there are two sub-orders of odonates, Anisoptera dragonflies and Zygoptera damselflies. In addition to the fact that dragonflies tend to have larger eyes, one of the most visible differences is found in the wings. In dragonflies, the rear pair of wings is larger than the front pair, while in damselflies, all wings have the same size. Furthermore, damselflies fold their wings against the abdomen when fluttering, whereas dragonflies do not. With around 7,000 species of dragonflies and damselflies that make up the Odonata family, stay with us as we are looking at 10 of the most beautiful odonatons in the world. Number 10. Found in the eastern U.S. and southeastern Canada, the male ebony jewel wing is absolutely beautiful with iridescent green body and large black wings. The wings are dark throughout as a result of the dense network of thick dark veins and the smoky color of the membrane itself. Meanwhile, the female is duller brown, with smoky wings that have white spots near the tips. Adults are typically encountered around shaded freshwater streams with dense vegetation. However, males may occasionally leave these areas to seek new territory. Number 9. Covering all of Europe with the exception of the southwestern Iberian Peninsula, the Balearic Islands, and Iceland, the beautiful demiselle is often found along fast-flowing waters. These large dark damselflies present an evident sexual dimorphism in color pattern. The male usually has much more extensive pigmentation on the wings, where they entirely metallic blue, while the female has dark brown iridescent wings. During mating, the males rest on bankside vegetation, awaiting passing females. They then use fluttering light as a courtship display. Number 8. Widely distributed throughout the year across the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia, the crimson marsh glider is absolutely a stunning species, where the male is overall crimson with a violet tinge. Generally speaking, magenta is quite an unusual color in the insect world. Certain katydids have this bright jarring coloration, but they are color spots and not typical. The female of this species is just as stunning with median reddish-brown and lateral black markings along the abdomen. Number 7. Widespread and common species in much of Europe, North Africa, and southwestern Asia, the males of red-veined darter is easily recognized, even at a distance with its brilliant red coloration. The females, however, are ochre to yellow-brown, with two black lines along each side. This species of dragonfly is not particularly shy. If you move slowly and smoothly enough, it is often possible to get very close to them. Number 6. Widespread throughout Europe and Asia, the downy emerald is truly a living gem with its metallic green and bronze body. Like most other emeralds, the downy emerald has bright shiny green eyes and are in flight from May through July each year. Although it has been eliminated from some of its historic native area due to habitat loss, dense populations of the downy emerald can still be found where its ideal habitat remains, typically woodlands near lakes and ponds. Number 5. Widespread throughout North America, the boreal bluet is a small damselfly with a length of 1 to 1.5 inches that occurs at lakes, ponds, and marshes, and streams with slow to moderate flow. The males are predominantly blue on the sides of the thorax, while the females are greenish-yellow to brown. This species is almost identical to the northern bluet, and even though these two species share similar ranges in North America, they are almost never found at the same body of water. The reasons for this separation are not known. Number 4. Native to western North America, the flame skimmers or firecracker skimmers are known for their entirely red or dark orange body. This includes eyes, legs, and even wing veins. Since this species occurs near warm water ponds, warm, slow streams, and hot springs, in the northern part of its range it almost always occurs near hot springs. Specifically in Idaho, it occurs in low-elevation desert in the southwest and at hot springs in the central and southeast portions of the state. Number 3. Native from Southeast Asia and occasionally found in Australia, the scarlet dwarf or tiny dragonfly has the distinction of being the smallest of the dragonflies, with a wingspan of only 20 mm or ¾ of an inch. Despite their small size, these dragonflies are just as beautiful in both males and females. The mature male is almost entirely red, particularly on its eyes and body, while the female is rather dark brown and has bands of brown and white on the abdomen. It is one of the most widespread Asian species occurring from the Indian Peninsula to Australia, making it as a least-concerned species on the IUCN Red List. Number 2. Native to Queensland, Australia and Papua New Guinea, the tropical rockmaster is one of the azure damselflies that occurs near lakes, waterfalls, or streams at relatively low altitudes and is occasionally seen near dry pools. This species is rather large in size for damselflies, and the way they hold their wings outspread can make them confused with dragonflies from a distance. However, like most damselflies, the form is not as robust as dragonflies, and the eyes do not meet as with most dragonflies. Number 1. Native to the Americas, where its distribution extends from the United States to Brazil, the rosette skimmer is truly a living gem where the males are breathtakingly a streak of purple and rosy pink in coloration. This species can tolerate a wide range of habitat types, but in central Texas, these dragonflies seem to prefer water where they do not have to compete with neon skimmers since they are more aggressive in defending territory.