Today I'm going to share my Dragonfly and Damselfly photos with you, along with some basic information about the Dragonfly. I will also be adding a couple of links (if the blogger will allow it).
             Evolving nearly 300 million years ago the Dragonfly (scientific name: Anisoptera) are insects belonging to the order of Odonata. It has 2 multifaceted eyes that are composed of up to 30,000 individual lenses. The hindwing is broader than the forewing. They have 6 legs, like all insects, but most cannot walk well. Look the same as the damselfly with a few differences. One being that they cannot rest their wings on their body. At rest their wings are slightly lowered and forward. They are the fastest insect in the world with recorded speeds up to 60 MPH. These insects are very important to our environment as they eat mosquitos, flies, ants, wasps, and the occasional butterflies creating a much needed balance. They live around Marshlands and other bodies of water because their offspring (larvae) known as nymphs are aquatic. 5,680 different species are known to inhabit our world. Their enemies ? Birds, lizards, frogs, spiders, fish, water bugs, and even other larger Dragonflies. Want to learn more about them? Here are a couple links so you can investigate yourselves.  http://animals.pawnation.com/interesting-dragonflies-4480.html      AND      
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragonfly       I think you will be amazed by how complex they really are.

Dragonfly hunting around my storage shed

Dragonfly

First photo of a dragonfly this close up

Damselfly: These are easy to recognize. They have 2 separated eyes.

Dragonfly (side view)

Back view of  Dragonfly

Frontal view of Dragonfly

This is a Broad-Bodied Chaser Dragonfly

I think this may be a Yellow Striped Hunter

Damselfly

Keeping one eye on me & the other is looking for prey

This Dragonfly returned 3 nights in a row to hunt

First Dragonfly photo taken. Been in love with them ever since

Notice the differences from a Dragonfly?
The eyes are separate from each other.
They are capable of laying their wings flat.
Their wings are much smaller in size  and all their wings are the same size. A Dragonfly has larger forewings.
A Dragonfly is so complex that it can fly frontwards, and backwards. They have muscles attached to each wing.
This allows them to move each wing individually!



Next Post will show some of the other flying insects native to our State....ARKANSAS !