Texas Damselflies or Odonata

Damselflies are generally smaller than dragonflies. They have more slender bodies than dragonflies and differ in wing size and shape. The damselfly forewings and hindwings are the same size and shape and they hold their wings together over the back, except for the family of spreadwings. You can quickly see whether it is a dragonfly or a damselfly.

The first damselfly that caught my eye this spring in Texas, was the rubyspot. I could not believe it was so red. I also find it fascinating that male and female damselflies can have such different colors like in the Rambur's Forktail where the immature female is a bright orange that changes to an olive green in maturity.

American Rubyspot (Male) - Hetaerina americana

Smoky Rubyspot (Male) - Hetaerina titia

Blue-ringed Dancer (Male) - Agria sedula

Blue-fronted Dancer (Male) - Agria apicalis

Blue-fronted Dancer (Female) - Agria apicalis

Rambur's Forktail (Male) - Ischnura ramburii

Rambur's Forktail (Immature Female) - Ischnura ramburii

Fragile Forktail (Male) - Ischnura posita

Powdered Dancer (Male) - Agria moesta

Powdered Dancer (Female) - Agria moesta

The references and gear I used for this blog are:
Camera: Canon EOS 40D
Lens: Canon EF100-400mm F4.5-5.6L IS USM
Steiner 10x42 Predator Binoculars
Damselflies of Texas, A Field Guide
Damselflies of the North Woods
Dragonflies of the North Woods
Dragonflies and Damselflies of Texas and the South-Central United States
Dragonflies through Binoculars North America
Dragonflies of Indiana
North American Odonata Website
Odonata Central Website

All images © MSCI