The 'odonates' are a well known group of exceptional aerialists. These insects have attracted much popular attention, and they are gaining on butterflies with their own 'watchers' groups. Dragonflies and damselflies are predators in both the adult and immature stages. The immatures are little aquatic monsters, with a grotesque extensible lower lip ('labium') that it uses to snatch mobile prey ranging from mosquito larvae to tadpoles and small fish.

Many biologists have become interested in the complex courtship and mating behavior of odonates. Most are highly territorial, with males staking out good oviposition sites, and defending them against other males. After mating males will often maintain their hold on the females to ensure she fertilizes eggs with his sperm before mating again (some males can remove from females the sperm from previous mates.)

 The list of odonates for the Reserve was provided by Nick Lethaby.

Odonate Photos (click to enlarge)
Coenagrionidae - Damselflies
Black-fronted Forktail Ischnura denticollis
Aeshnidaedae - Darner Dragonflies
Common Green Darner Anax junius
Libellulidae - Skimmer Dragonflies
Varigated Meadowhawk Sympetrum corruptum	Red Saddlebags Tramea ornusta	Wandering Glider Pantala flavescens
Cardinal Meadowhawk Sympetrum illotum
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