The Common Darter Dragonfly occurs around lakes and garden ponds
Nature on our doorsteps: Damsels and dragons …
Rosaleen Dwyer is the County Heritage Officer at South Dublin County Council – every week she gives us an insight into the natural heritage around us and the beautiful biodiversity of the plants and creatures.
DAMSELFLIES and dragonflies are typically seen around lakes, ponds and river margins.
Ireland has fourteen resident dragonfly species and eleven resident damselfly species.
Five other species are vagrant, meaning they occasionally arrive into the country but do not breed here.
Dragonflies and damselflies are aquatic insects.
They spend most of their life cycle under water as developing juveniles known as nymphs.
For some species, the underwater stage can last up to two years, while adults can last up to a few months.
While damselflies are generally smaller and lighter than dragonflies, they both have a similar body structure.
They have large compound eyes and short antenna.
The sturdy chest area, or thorax, supports four wings which, for most species, are transparent.
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These wings beat independently of one another, allowing them to be very manoeuvrable flyers.
Two damselfly species, the Banded Demoiselle and the Beautiful Demoiselle, have very distinctive iridescent dark blue bands or black-tinted wings.
Depending on the species, the chest and the long slender abdomen are often brightly coloured in metallic blue or green, or red, yellow, or brown.
Damselflies and dragonflies are voracious predators, both as underwater nymphs and as flying adults.
In the water, the nymphs lie in wait under stones or amongst water plants, watching for prey such as other fly larvae and young tadpoles.
The nymphs have a specially modified extending jaw which rapidly shoots out to stun and seize the prey, before bringing it back to their chewing mouth.
Unlike other insects, damselfly and dragonfly larvae do not spin a cocoon or a chrysalis in which to transform into an adult.
Instead, the underwater nymphs shed their skins several times as they grow.
When fully mature, the final nymph stage emerges from the water and sheds its last larval skin, revealing the new flying adult.
Damselfly and dragonfly nymphs require clean water in which to survive and successfully develop into adults.
Their presence therefore indicates aquatic habitats with good water quality.
