ID 101 - An Introduction to Odonate Identification For the
novice, individual species of dragonflies and damselflies are
notoriously difficult to identify. Whether viewing dragonflies
and damselflies through binoculars or in-hand examination, you
need to familiarize yourself with some of those distinctive
characteristics found on the head, thorax and abdomen of your
insect. Key areas in making identification may include color,
patterns and shapes. Not sure what all the parts of an Odonate
are named? First, let's decide whether it is a dragonfly or
damselfly. Not sure? If you know for sure which it is, click
either for more information on what to look for. We don't
provide a key, but will give you pointers on what types of
things to look for and make notes of.