Sadly the beautiful Dragonfly and Damselfly live only a few weeks above water.  The greater part of their life is spent as a very much less elegant larva.  

Dragonflies and damselflies both begin life as eggs.  Some types of Odonata scatter there eggs across the water where they will stick to plants or stones.  Others place each egg carefully on, or inside the stem or leaf of, a plant.  The egg might be deposited in plant material under water, or maybe on the stem of a reed, above water level. 

The eggs will be laid throughout the summer, with the early ones hatching within days, and the later ones maybe over-wintering in egg form, before hatching in the following spring.  This variance is caused by the need to survive - if the weather is too cold for smaller insect life to be in the water, then a larva would have no food - it therefore delays development until warmer weather.   Similarly, larvae may develop at different rates, and are capable of remaining in the water for the winter in a semi-dormant state, until the spring brings warmth and plenty of food supplies.  Some types can remain in the water for several years.  In an area where food is short, growth and development will be slower.  Both larva and adult fly are carnivorous.  

The larvae of both damsel and dragon flies have wings from an early stage in their life; these wings are folded up beneath their skin, and only become visible and useable after the final skin has been discarded.  They do not undergo total metamorphosis, as a caterpillar does when it changes to a butterfly, but they do change to breathe air directly, rather than using gills. 

The larvae moult several times as they grow, and  must leave the water in order to crawl out of their final layer of skin, to ensure that the wings do not get wet.  This is a dangerous time for them.  Birds will often feast on larvae and dragonflies that are drying their wings and gaining the energy to make their first flight.  Some species emerge at night, or crawl up to tens of metres from the water, in order to improve their safety from predators.  It takes about an hour for most types to emerge, and specimens of one species will often synchronize emergence, so that they are all ready to mate at the same time.  Newly developed Odonata (known as tenerals) can be recognised by their glittering wings; the creases where they were folded up tightly under their larval skin cause extra light reflection. 

When their wings and bodies have strengthened, the adults will hover and dance over the water, trying to attract a mate.  Most species of male will guard their chosen female carefully until the eggs have been laid.  Some types live only a couple of weeks as adult flies, some will live months, and lay several clutches of eggs.... but once eggs have been laid, the cycle has begun again...

When you see dragonflies over the water, look through the rushes and stems around the shallowest water's edge and you will easily find those skins, within a finger's height of the water.  Strong though dry, the legs will still be clasping their anchorage point firmly, and their form will be perfectly maintained.  Only a neat little hole, or a split that has sprung back closed, will provide a clue to the fact that what appeared to be a dry, dead body is only the discarded disguise of a beautiful creature who has escaped into another life and world.

Click to see photographs, and discover the differences between dragonfly and damselfly larvae.

       DRAGONFLY                          DAMSELFLY

Click on the flying dragon to return to main Dragonfly index and introduction.