Dragonflies and Damselflies
of Berry Springs Park and Preserve

Dragonflies and Damselflies are some of the most remarkable insects flying around today. Their ancestors were flying around wetlands nearly 300 million years ago and closely resemble their modern descendants. One of the reasons for their longevity and stability in form is the fact that per body weight they have more DNA than just about any other form of life. They are also remarkable because their 60,000 eyes give them incredible eyesight! They are usually found hanging out near wet areas because it is ideal for the life cycle of their larvae who live in water.

Dragonflies are avid predators so why should we learn to love them? The reason is simple as they love to eat mosquitoes, wasps, ants, bees and flies! If you would like to get close to a dragonfly just sit quietly in an area where they are commonly found and they will soon return. If you get lucky one might even land on you but don't worry as it cannot sting or bite you!

Many of the 75 species of dragonflies and damselflies seen in Williamson County should be found at Berry Springs.

Dragonflies (Odonata)
Darners (Aeshnidae)
Comet Darner (Anax longipes)
Common Green Darner (Anax junius) Female                  Male	Cyrano Darner (Nasiaeschna pentacantha) Male
Emeralds (Cordulidae)
Dot-winged Baskettail (Epitheca petechialis)	Prince Baskettail (Epitheca princeps)
Clubtails (Gomphidae)
Dragonhunter, Black Clubtail (Hagenius brevistylus)	Eastern Ringtail (Erpetogomphus designatus)
Female	Female
Flag-tailed Spinyleg (Hagenius brevistylus)	Four-striped Leaftail (Phyllogomphoides stigmatus)
Male	Female
Sulphur-tipped Clubtail (Phanogomphus militaris)
Male	Female
Skimmers (Libellulidae)
Banded Pennant (Celithemis fasciata)
Female
Band-winged Dragonlet (Erythrodiplax umbrata)
Male	Female
Black Saddlebags (Tramea lacerata)	Black Setwing (Dythemis nigrescens)
	Male
Blue Dasher (Pachydiplax longipennis)
Male	Female
Checkered Setwing (Dythemis fugax)	Comanche Skimmer (Libellula comanche)
Common Whitetail (Plathemis lydia)
Male	Female
Eastern Amberwing (Perithemis tenera)
Male	Female
Eastern Pondhawk (Erythemis simplicicollis)
Male	Female
Four-spotted Pennant (Brachymesia gravida)	Great Blue Skimmer (Libellula vibrans)
Great Pondhawk (Erythemis vesiculosa)	Halloween Pennant (Celithemis eponina)
Hyacinth Glider (Miathyria marcella)
Male
Neon Skimmer (Libellula croceipennis)
Male	Female
Pale-faced Clubskimmer (Brechmorhoga mendax)	Red Saddlebags (Tramea onusta)
Roseate Skimmer (Orthemis ferruginea)
Male	Female
Slaty Skimmer (Libellula incesta)	Spot-Winged Glider (Pantala hymenaea)
Male
Swift Setwing (Dythemis velox)	Twelve-spotted Skimmer - Male (Libellula pulchella)
Variegated Meadowhawk (Sympetrum corruptum)
Male	Female
Wandering Glider - Male (Pantala flavescens)
Widow Skimmers (Libellula luctuosa)
Male	Female
Damselflies (Zygoptera)
Broad-winged Damselflies (Calopterygidae)
American Rubyspot (Hetaerina americana)	Smoky Rubyspot (Hetaerina titia)
Narrow-winged Damselflies (Coenagrionidae)
Aztec Dancers (Argia nahuana)
Male	Female
Blue-fronted Dancer (Argia apicalis)	Blue-ringed Dancer (Argia sedula)
Female	Male(upper)    Female(lower)
Citrine Forktail (Ischnura hastata)
Male	Female
Desert Firetails (Telebasis salva)
Male	Female
Double-striped Bluet (Enallagma basidens)
Male	Female
Dusky Dancer (Argia translata)
Male	Female - Juvenile
Familiar Bluet (Enallagma civile)	Fragile Forktail (Ischnura posita)
Kiowa Dancer (Argia immunda)
Powdered Dancer (Argia moesta)
Male	Female
Rambur's Forktail (Ischnura ramburii)	Skimming Bluet (Enallagma geminatum)
Springwater Dancer (Argia plana)
Stream Bluet (Enallagma exsulans)
Male	Female
Variable Dancer (Argia fumipennis)
Male	Female
Spread-winged Damselflies (Lestidae)
Great Spreadwing (Archilestes grandis)
Male	Female
Plateau Spreadwing (Lestes alacer)
Male (upper) Female (lower)
Southern Spreadwing (Lestes australis)
Male	Female
More Galleries Gallery Index Birds Butterflies Critters Dangerous Plants Fish Frogs Invasive Plants Mushrooms Snakes Trails Wildflowers Useful Links: Berry Springs Species List Williamson County Bug Guide - Images (off site)

Special thanks to G. Stewart and M. Farley for their excellent photos.