What is the difference between dragonfly and damselfly wings?
Adult Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies) possess two pairs of long, narrow, and net-veined wings. The wing veins of Odonata are fused at their bases and the wings cannot be folded over the body at rest.
Dragonflies and Damselflies: How to Tell the Difference
Look at their wings when they are resting. Are they spread like an aeroplane, or closed together? Damselflies rest with their wings closed, and dragonflies the opposite, so this is a big give away!
What shape are their wings? This is probably the most difficult feature to observe, as sometimes they have disappeared before you get a chance to look. Damselflies have wings that are both the same size and shape, which taper where they attach to the body. Dragonflies, however, have different shaped fore and hind wings. Their hind wings are much broader and don’t taper so much where they attach to the body, giving them more of a plane look.
What is the difference between dragonfly and damselfly wings?
Dragonflies have two sets of similar-sized wings, but the hind wings become more broad at the base, where they attach to the body. Damselfly wings, on the other hand, are more slender and taper toward they base, where they attach to the body.