Odonata is an order of predatory flying insects that includes the dragonflies and damselflies. The two groups are distinguished with dragonflies usually being bulkier with large compound eyes together and wings spread up or out at rest, while damselflies are usually more slender with eyes placed apart and wings folded together along body at rest. Adult odonates can land and perch, but rarely walk.
A dragonfly is a flying insect belonging to the infraorder Anisoptera below the order Odonata. About 3,000 extant species of dragonflies are known. Most are tropical, with fewer species in temperate regions. Loss of wetland habitat threatens dragonfly populations around the world. Adult dragonflies are characterised by a pair of large, multifaceted, compound eyes, two pairs of strong, transparent wings, sometimes with coloured patches, and an elongated body. Many dragonflies have brilliant iridescent or metallic colours produced by structural coloration, making them conspicuous in flight. An adult dragonfly's compound eyes have nearly 24,000 ommatidia each.
Damselflies are flying insects of the suborder Zygoptera in the order Odonata. They are similar to dragonflies but are usually smaller and have slimmer bodies. Most species fold the wings along the body when at rest, unlike dragonflies which hold the wings flat and away from the body. Damselflies have existed since the Late Jurassic, and are found on every continent except Antarctica.
Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge is a United States National Wildlife Refuge located in two separate sections in central Chaves County, New Mexico, United States, a few miles northeast of the city of Roswell. Both sections lie on the banks of the Pecos River. The refuge was established in 1937 to provide habitat for migratory birds such as the sandhill crane and the snow goose, but it is also notable for rare native fish and the over 90 species of dragonflies and damselflies that inhabit the refuge.
The Moors River is a river in east Dorset, England, which starts at the point where the River Crane and the Ebblake Stream meet, at Ebblake, south of Verwood.
North Georgia is the northern hilly/mountainous region in the U.S. state of Georgia. At the time of the arrival of settlers from Europe, it was inhabited largely by the Cherokee. The counties of north Georgia were often scenes of important events in the history of Georgia. It was the site of many American Civil War battles, including the Battle of Lookout Mountain and the Battle of Chickamauga, leading up to the Atlanta Campaign. Today, particularly in the northeast portion of the region, tourism sustains the local economy.
The insect family Macromiidae contains the dragonfly species known as cruisers or skimmers. They tend to fly over bodies of water straight down the middle. They are similar to Aeshnidae in size, but the eyes are green and just barely meet at the top of the head.
The Cordulegastridae are a family of Odonata (dragonflies) from the suborder Anisoptera. They are commonly known as spiketails. Some vernacular names for the species of this family are biddie and flying adder. They have large, brown or black bodies with yellow markings, and narrow unpatterned wings. Their bright eyes touch at a single point, and they can be found along small, clear, woodland streams, flying slowly 30 to 70 cm above the water. When disturbed, however, they can fly very rapidly. They usually hunt high in forest vegetation, and prefer to capture prey resting on leaves or branches.
The Gomphidae are a family of dragonflies commonly referred to as clubtails or club-tailed dragonflies. The family contains about 90 genera and 900 species found across North and South America, Europe, Asia, Australia, and Africa. The name refers to the club-like widening of the end of the abdomen. However, this club is usually less pronounced in females and is entirely absent in some species.
Calopteryx angustipennis is a species of damselfly in the family Calopterygidae known commonly as the Appalachian jewelwing. It is endemic to the United States, where it occurs in the southeastern and eastern states.
Macromia is a genus of large dragonflies in the family Macromiidae. Species of the genus Macromia are commonly known as river cruisers from their habit of cruising long distances along river banks. Most species occur in the tropical Australasian region, with one species being found in Europe , and a few species occurring in North America.
Onychogomphus assimilis is a species of dragonfly in the family Gomphidae. It is found in Armenia, Georgia, Iran, Turkey, and Turkmenistan. Its natural habitat is rivers. It is threatened by habitat loss.
The Red River is a small river in north-west Cornwall, England, United Kingdom which issues into St Ives Bay at Godrevy on Cornwall's Atlantic coast. The Red River was given its name from the mineral deposits associated with tin mining, particularly oxides of Iron, which formerly coloured its water red. The river's gradient is relatively steep; over its 8 miles (13 km) length, it falls 170 metres (560 ft) from source to sea.
Northeast Georgia is a region of Georgia in the United States. The northern part is also in the North Georgia mountains or Georgia mountain region, while the southern part is still hilly but much flatter in topography. Northeast Georgia is also served by the Asheville/Spartanburg/Greenville/Anderson market.
Basiaeschna janata, the springtime darner, is a species of dragonfly in the monotypic genus Basiaeshna in the family Aeshnidae. It is a small, bluish darner that flies early in the year.
Macromia illinoiensis, also known as the swift river cruiser or the Illinois river cruiser, is a species of dragonfly in the family Macromiidae. It was described by Walsh in 1862.
Glemsford Pits is a 37.5-hectare (93-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest south of Glemsford in Suffolk. The River Stour, which forms the boundary between Suffolk and Essex, runs through the site, which is thus in both counties.
Dragonfly is a planned NASA mission to send a robotic rotorcraft to the surface of Titan, the largest moon of Saturn. It is planned to be launched in July 2028 and arrive in 2034. It would be the first aircraft on Titan and is intended to make the first powered and fully controlled atmospheric flight on any moon, with the intention of studying prebiotic chemistry and extraterrestrial habitability. It would then use its vertical takeoffs and landings (VTOL) capability to move between exploration sites.
Macromia alleghaniensis, the Allegheny river cruiser, is a species of cruiser in the dragonfly family Macromiidae. It is often confused with Macromia illinoiensis, the Swift river cruiser. It can be found in the United States, particularly in the central Southeastern part of the country.
