Dragonflies are flying insects. Did you know there are different types of dragonflies than most of us realize?
Yeah! Most of them are tropical, with fewer species surviving in temperate climates.
Interestingly, these winged insects deserve more recognition than they’ve received because they don’t bite and contribute to nature in a lovely way.
Dragonflies exist in around 3,000 different species. There are some uncommon and rare things on Earth.
For simplicity, these are the top 15 types of dragonflies.
What Are the Different Types of Dragonflies?
These are the common species you can find easily.
1. Roseate Skimmer
The Roseate Skimmer is first on our list of different types of dragonflies.
Males of this species have a rose-pink abdomen that is occasionally scarlet or maroon in hue.
Conversely, females have an orange-brown abdomen with clear orange veins in their wings, a brown thorax, and a striped back.
Here’s an interesting fact: during mating season, the more vivid the male Roseate Skimmer is, the more likely he is to produce a number of progeny with his female counterparts.
When a Roseate Skimmer is born, its abdomen is brilliant pink or purple, and its thorax turns blue as it matures.
These humming bugs are attractive to look at. However, these Roseate Skimmers frequently invade new environments and increase their territory in ponds, lakes, canals, and tropical locales such as the Bahamas, West Indies, and Hawaii.
Feel free to seek them the next time you go on an island vacation with your family.
This beautiful dragonfly can be found grazing on the tops of tall foliage and is an extremely aggressive predator of many types of insects, including those larger than itself.
2. Magenta Dragonfly
Magenta is one of the different types of dragonflies, and it is an uncommon color in the insect world.
So, you’d be pretty lucky to see one out in the wild.
In addition to being dubbed Magenta, they are also known as the Crimson Marsh Glider.
Looking at the male, you’ll notice a reddish-brown face with intense crimson eyes and a matching thorax, which can sometimes be purple.
Their bulging abdomen distinguishes them even more from the crowd, yet it frequently has a violet tint.
As you might expect, the Crimson Marsh Glider’s wings are transparent with a crimson hue, a broad amber patch, and dark red and brown wing dots to bring everything together.
Conversely, females fly with brilliant red or even olive cheeks, remarkably gorgeous purple and brown eyes, and a brown and black thorax to set them apart.
Their wings are also transparent with brown tips, allowing them to distinguish themselves in flight.
These Magenta Dragonflies are generally found near rivers. They should be easy to notice as they don’t fit in with their environment.
3. Gold-Ringed Dragonfly
Anyone in the United Kingdom may be more familiar with the Golden Ringed Dragonfly, which is the next entry on my list of the different types of dragonflies.
The Golden Ringed Dragonfly is the most common of its species, found in practically every section of England, Scotland, and Ireland.
If you look closely, you might mistake it for a big bumblebee!
This species is easily recognizable because male and female Golden Ring Dragonflies are black with golden bands across their bodies (as expected).
The only significant difference is that females tend to be longer and slimmer.
It’s a minor difference, but enough to make them distinct when flying around.
These female dragonflies are the longest in the UK, and their ovipositor, or egg-laying organ, allows them to maintain their position at the top.
The Golden Ring Dragonfly is most visible during their breeding season, from May to September.
They are formidable predators. Their large size lets them feed on the larger insects that fly around their grounds, and they subsist on a diet of damselflies, wasps, beetles, and even other dragonflies.
Their huge size allows them to feast on larger insects flying over their grounds, including damselflies, wasps, beetles, and other dragonflies.
Surprisingly, they had no issue biting down on something larger than themselves!
4. Sapphire Flutterer
The Sapphire Flutterer, one of the smallest species in the Rhyothemis genus, is widespread in Eastern and Southern Asia and Australia.
If you look for it, you may see this vividly colored insect.
The dragonflies are identifiable by their dark blue abdomen and whitish spots throughout.
But when they’re in direct sunshine, the Sapphire Flutterer glows, causing their entire body to radiate an extremely stunning purple.
The Sapphire Flutterer, on the other hand, is a sight that never fails to impress.
Their wings are slightly different from the ordinary dragonfly, giving them a distinct appearance in flight.
So, when the Sapphire Flutterer rises to the skies and hovers above the ponds, it resembles a more conventional butterfly.
5. Flame Skimmer
The Flame Skimmer hangs near warm-water ponds, streams, and hot springs.
It is one of several varieties of dragonflies found in Idaho’s low-elevation deserts in the state’s south.
It has one of the coolest bug names (do you agree?).
The male’s entire body is either red or dark orange, from the thorax to the wings. Females are rich brown with delicate gold patterns on the thorax and wings.
Flame Skimmer larvae devour various aquatic insects, including flies, freshwater shrimp, mayflies, and mosquitoes.
This assumes they are effective natural pest control. If they’re hungry, the nymphs can catch tadpoles and tiny fish.
But when the appropriately named Flame Skimmer reaches adulthood, things get exciting.
It will consume almost any other soft-bodied insect on the wing, including flies, moths, and even flying ants and termites.
6. Scarlet Darter
The Scarlet Darter is one of the different types of dragonflies that are pretty easily identified.
The males always show off their wide, bright red abdomens, which are complemented by smaller amber patches at the base of their hind wings.
On the other hand, females and any immature Scarlet Darter can be identified by their yellow-brown eyes and eye-catching pale stripe along the top of their thorax. The Scarlet Darter was first discovered in 1995.
The dragonfly species is abundant worldwide and recorded in every African country.
However, it has also extended its reach to Southern Europe and China.
The scarlet darter often mates near rushing and standing water.
It’s crucial to understand that they despise the shade. This likely explains why their range can extend to deserts and open woods.
So, if you ever visit those areas and see a giant bright red beetle flying around, it could be a scarlet darter.
7. Grizzled Pintail Dragonfly
The Grizzled Pintail dragonfly is a popular species worldwide with a catchy name.
The grizzled pintail, often known as the trumpet tail, has a matte blue body and is long and agile.
It prefers to stay out somewhere hot and humid, with bodies of water and plants to perch on.
However, this is undoubtedly one of the most gorgeous and distinctive dragonfly species.
Despite its striking appearance—huge, deep blue eyes and a blue and marbled black thorax—the grizzled pintail can be difficult to spot due to its small size.
Because of their diminutive stature, they have weak wings and fly relatively short distances. They adhere to the reeds and foliage in the weedy areas where they typically reproduce.
This can also mean that while they eat many small insects, they can easily be swallowed by much larger dragonfly species.
Some of these have already appeared on this list of different types of dragonflies.
So, whenever you see a grizzled pintail resting its long, thin wings on a perch, realize that they’re probably as scared of you as you are.
8. Beautiful Demoiselle
The European damselfly is similar to dragonflies, with the main distinction being a thinner body.
This is the most lovely of them, hence the name lovely Demoiselle.
The Beautiful Demoiselle is predominantly found in the United Kingdom and southern Ireland and has a distinguishing appearance.
Males have dark blue-black wings, while females have more exotic brown-green wings.
Both males and females will measure no more than roughly two inches in length.
They are most commonly seen in small, fast-flowing rivers with muddy bottoms.
The males will try to attract the females by performing a wild-looking courtship dance.
Believe it or not, the Beautiful Demoiselle is threatened by various sources, including pollution, dredging, destruction of aquatic side vegetation, and even over-shading due to tree development.
9. Ebony Jeweling
This entry seems more like a beautiful jewel than a dragonfly, yet the Ebony Jeweling is one of the most distinctive species.
The male has a shiny, iridescent body that appears blue or green under certain lighting conditions.
The females will have bluish-green bodies and more translucent wings than their male counterparts.
They reveal more of a dark brown than black. They have a very noticeable white split near their wingtip.
Overall, males have the most attractive traits but are more interested in finding a spouse than females.
Both sexes of Ebony Jeweling are quite large, growing to be about three inches from head to tail.
Instead of splaying its wings while resting, the Ebony Jewelers’ wings press together and rest over their thorax.
This awesome-looking species can be found in the eastern United States and southeast Canada near pleasant and shady freshwater streams with lush flora.
However, the males will abandon these places to seek other territory. These Ebony Jewelings enjoy resting on a branch in the sun.
10. Emperor Dragonflies
As the name implies, the Emperor Dragonfly is a huge dragonfly that reaches just over three inches from head to tail. It normally takes to the sky between June and August.
Emperor dragonflies prefer huge lakes and ponds, but they also live in canals and ditches where water suits this beautiful dragonfly.
The Emperor Dragonfly is easily identifiable because the females deposit their eggs in the floating palm weed, not just because it is larger than most other species but also because of its striking colors.
Male Emperor Dragonflies have a pale blue body with a distinctive apple-green thorax and a black stripe running the length of their body.
Females are similar but can be distinguished by their duller green and blue colors.
As is customary, men must attract the attention of females, not vice versa, yet both sexes have huge, deep green eyes.
The Emperor Dragonfly is distributed throughout central and southern Europe, Asia, and North Africa. Because of its large
This species has a larger wingspan than others. Other insects and larger prey, such as butterflies and dragonflies, are caught on the wing, and it may even devour it while still in flight.
11. Orange Feather Leg
Platic nemus acutepenus, often known as the orange feather leg, is a unique bug since it is the only European damselfly with an orange and red abdomen and blue eyes.
While those hues would clash anywhere else in nature, this little guy nails them brilliantly.
Talk about passing with flying colors. Males have somewhat wider hind tibias, which is about the only characteristic that distinguishes them from their female counterparts.
But all that matters is that the orange feather legs can recognize their differences. Males and females have a yellowish abdomen with pronounced black stripes and an orange patch on the tip of each wing.
True to its name, the orange feather leg is quite small. Like other dragonflies, its wings are squeezed together above its body when resting.
However, its bright colors make identifying when perched on a reed simple.
Nevertheless, they are fairly prevalent throughout the southwest of Europe, including France, Spain, and Portugal.
However, people have relocated and settled in many parts of Germany.
Perhaps they were fleeing predators, who are often larger dragonflies.
12. Twelve-Spotted Skimmer
If you can count to 12, you might be able to identify the next dragonfly species on our list.”The 12-spotted skimmer”.
This dragonfly species is common throughout the Americas, particularly in the United States, southern Canada, and parts of Mexico.
Aside from the iconic 12 brown spots on its translucent wings, the 12-spotted skimmer has a powder-colored thorax, which gives the bug a distinct appearance.
Just because a dragonfly isn’t brilliant red or blue makes it less attractive.
While all these dragonflies have the same eponymous spots, the color between the black spots distinguishes males from females.
Males have eight dazzling white dots that can appear blue in the right light.
Females and youngsters have brown or black markings, with no white.
Males also have a pale blue abdomen, while females are predominantly black with a long yellow stripe down either side.
If you’re lucky enough to spot a 12-spotted skimmer, you’ll notice them munching on smaller insects on the wing, including other skimmers.
They frequently hang out near water sources like lakes, creeks, and lagoons, which provide excellent nesting grounds.
13. Tiger Spiketail
The tiger spike tail has a great name and an even cooler appearance.
It can grow quite large, measuring between two and a half and three inches long.
It is distinguished by the numerous yellow rings surrounding its deep pitch abdomen, which has a thin black line running through it.Â
Males and females seem similar for the most part, except that females are much larger and have a long spike-like ovipositor that protrudes from the end of their abdomen, giving them the name spike tail.
Fortunately for the rest of us, dragonflies do not sting despite their extremely lengthy protrusions.
Tiger spike tail dragonflies are a rare species that like to live in forests.
So, the chances of spotting one in the open in a well-lit place are extremely improbable.
However, suppose you happen to be traveling along a cold water woodland stream or spotting some seepage in North America.
You might come upon the tiger spike tail’s favored nesting environment in that case.
However, do not touch them because, in addition to being rare, the tiger spike tail is endangered due to habitat degradation and groundwater disruption.
14. Yellow-Striped Flutterer
The yellow-striped flutterer is an incredibly attractive dragonfly that may be found across Southeast Asia, including Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Laos, Thailand, and so on. But it’s safe to conclude that it prefers the humid climate.
This medium-sized dragonfly lives in open ponds, swamps, and marshes,
The yellow-striped flutterer moves more like a butterfly than a dragonfly.
However, they prefer to remain on the wing and rarely stay in one area for long.
Their eye-catching look truly sets them apart, with a golden black and blue coloring at the base of their hind wings that may reflect light brilliantly and give them their signature sheen.
As we’ve seen with other species on this list of different types of dragonflies, the men and females are remarkably similar.
15. Phantom Flutterer
The phantom flutterer, found all over Africa, is undoubtedly the most beautiful and illustrious dragonfly.
The phantom flutterer lives in seas with flora and dense, tangled masses of floating algae, where it can flutter around, mate, lay eggs, and have a peaceful life.Â
The phantom flutterer’s appearance, however, distinguishes it from the rest.
It’s simple, with an all-metallic black thorax, abdomen, and eyes, with a slight tapering in the last few abdominal parts.
Their wings are completely transparent, save for the faint black veins and the stunning metallic black and maroon panels on the hind wings.
Males and females are nearly identical, except for the females’ back appendages and ovipositor.
While they may not be the most aggressive predators of dragonfly species, the phantom flutterer is certainly the most breathtaking and incredible.
