Growing up as country boys, we called them darning needles and warned each other they would sew up your lips if you told a lie. These days, dragonflies are popular designs for jewelry and other decorative items. Whereas dragonflies have huge eyes and hold their wings stylishly out to the side or upward when at rest, damselflies have smaller eyes and fold their wings together against their bodies less attractively. Photographing Odonata in flight is an exercise in frustration. Luckily, some species repeatedly return to prominent perches near the edge of water bodies where they can be ambushed by patient photographers.

Calico Pennant Dragonfly

12-Spotted Skimmer Dragonfly

Unidentified Dragonfly

Ebony Jewelwing Damselfly male

Ebony Jewelwing Damselfly female (male)

Northern Bluet Damselfly