General: Dragonflies (Suborder Epiprocta) are small, flying creatures often seen zooming and hovering around streams and pools of water. At rest, dragonflies usually hold their two sets of wings straight out to the sides; this is in contrast to damselflies that usually rest with the wings together and folded over the body. In addition, the eyes of dragonflies are part of the head, while those of damselflies are on short stalks to the side of the head. What we know as dragonflies are the adult forms of these bugs; larval dragonflies are aquatic bugs.

These active creatures are harmless to humans, but they are voracious predators of small flying insects such as flies and mosquitoes. The larvae, however, can provide a bit of a bite.

Taxonomy: Order Odonata, Suborder Anisoptera.