Dragonflies and damselflies in your garden

Natural England - Dragonflies and damselflies in your garden icon

Dragonflies and damselflies are amazing insects. They have a long history and modern species are almost identical to ancestors that flew over prehistoric forests some 300 million years ago. Some of these ancient dragonflies were giants, with wingspans of up to 70cm.

Modern dragonflies are tiny by comparison, but are still large and spectacular enough to capture the attention of anyone walking along a river bank or enjoying a sunny afternoon by the garden pond.

This booklet will tell you about the biology and life-cycles of dragonflies and damselflies, help you to identify some common species, and tell you how you can encourage these insects to visit your garden.

Click on the graphic to view the booklet.