Often referred to as damsels and dragons, damselflies and dragonflies are similar, both belonging to the Odonata subspecies of insects. More than 5,000 species of these insects exist, with dragonflies being more common than damselflies.

Both are typically found near fresh water and are commonly seen during warm, sunny days. And while they share some physical characteristics, there are ways you can differentiate between the two.

Dragonflies are true prehistoric animals. Some species lived before dinosaurs roamed the earth and are thought to have evolved nearly 300 million years ago. Fossils from the time indicate dragonflies with wingspans of two feet or more, while the wingspan of a modern dragonfly measures from 2-5 inches.

These creatures are double-winged insects that are members of the Odonata species. They have an elongated body, large, multifaceted eyes, and two pairs of strong transparent wings with the hind wing broader than the forewing.

Dragonflies can fly backwards, forwards, change direction in a split second and hover for up to a minute. They can beat their two pairs of wings simultaneously or singularly, making them expert fliers.

They are some of the fastest insects in the world. Claims have been made that that speeds of up sixty miles an hour were recorded. Dragonflies are valuable predators that eat mosquitoes as well as other small insects like flies, bees, ants, and wasps.

Dragonflies have six legs that are great for capturing their prey, but they are not strong enough for walking.

They must however be wary of predators, as well: birds, lizards, frogs, spiders, fish, and water bugs. Even other larger dragonflies have been known to feast on odonates.

Damselflies are similar to dragonflies, but there are notable distinctions that set them apart. Most damselflies hold their wings at rest together above the torso or held slightly open above, whereas most dragonflies hold their wings perpendicular to their body, horizontally or occasionally slightly down and forward.

The back wing of the dragonfly broadens near the base, while the back wing of the damselfly is like the front wing. The eyes on a damselfly are set apart while the eyes of most dragonflies will touch.

Damselflies are typically smaller than dragonflies, and sometimes confused with newly molted dragonflies. However, once a dragonfly molts, it is already fully grown.

In the United States, dragonflies and damselflies are sought out as a hobby akin to birding. This pastime is known as oding, so named because of the dragonfly's Latin species name, odonata.

Oding is especially popular in Texas where 225 different species of odonates have been observed. With care (and with dry fingers), dragonflies can be handled and released as can be done with butterflies, though it is not encouraged.

For some Native American tribes, damsels and dragons represent swiftness and activity. For the Navajo they symbolize pure water. They are a common motif in Zuni pottery, and they appear often in Hopi rock art and on Pueblo jewelry.

Damsels and dragons have also been used in traditional medicine in Japan and China. In some parts of the world, they are a food source, eaten either as adults or larvae after frying in oil. They are considered a delicacy.

In some European countries, dragonflies are cast in sinister roles and called in names reflecting that association, such as the “devil’s darning needle” (England), the Oyenstikker or “eye-poker” (Norway), and the “eye-snatcher” (Portugal). Often associated with snakes, dragonflies may be known as a “snake doctor” in the southern US, where folklore claims they follow snakes around and stitch them up if the snake becomes injured.

While enjoying the summer months and the impending return of autumn, notice with delight the reappearance of the damsels and dragons and cultivate a greater appreciation of these magnificent and beautiful insects.

MORE FACTS ABOUT DRAGONFLIES

Female dragonflies will lay their eggs in bodies of water such as ponds and rivers. They can lay these eggs one by one, or in a cluster of up to 800 eggs at a time. They do not care for their young and abandon the eggs. Dragonflies have massive, compound eyes that allow them to see at almost every angle, and eighty percent of its brain is dedicated to controlling sight and processing images. Their eyes are composed of up to 30,000 individual lenses, endowing them with excellent vision, not only for an insect but for any animal. Like many migratory birds, some dragonfly species fly south for the winter and northward when the weather warms. The globe skimmer dragonfly has the longest migration of any insect in the world; it travels 11,000 miles back and forth over the Indian Ocean.