If you’re like me and birdwatching is one of your favorite hobbies, late summer can sometimes feel like a slow time of year. Our locally nesting birds are no longer as active, and the influx of songbirds during fall migration has not yet reached much of Virginia. This summer, just as I was beginning to lament the dust building up on my camera, some jewel-bright insects zooming around False Cape State Park opened my eyes to a completely new hobby: dragonfly watching!

The Wandering Glider can be found on every continent except Antarctica.

Dragonflies, and their closely related cousins damselflies, are members of an order of predatory insects called Odonata. This order was named from the Greek word for “tooth”, a reference to these insects’ powerful jaws. Luckily for us, dragonflies use those jaws to capture pests like mosquitoes and gnats while flying. According to an article from the Smithsonian Magazine, one adult dragonfly can eat hundreds of those pesky biting insects every day!

Birdwatching and dragonfly watching have a lot in common. Both can be done just about anywhere, from your local Virginia State Park to your backyard, even in the middle of a city. Dragonflies are most often found near water, as that is where they lay their eggs, so look near streams, ponds, or wet ditches. Just like birdwatching, dragonfly watching has given me the excuse I was looking for to get out in the park with my camera and find as many species as I can.

Although the Blue Dasher's scientific name, Pachydiplax longipennis, means "long wings", its wings are not actually much longer than those of related species.

With more than 150 dragonfly and damselfly species found in the state of Virginia (and over 450 in the United States), you will be kept busy trying to track down all the varieties. Just looking up different dragonfly species has been a blast, as these insects have some of the most creative names I’ve ever seen. Two of my favorites are the Halloween Pennant and the Carolina Saddlebags, both of which can be found at False Cape. 

Halloween Pennants can be found flying around freshwater habitats and feed on smaller insects that they capture in flight.

Identifying these insects as they fly like acrobats through the air can be tough, but you can use a lot of the same tricks and tips as you would while birdwatching:

1. Gear - Having a dragonfly field guide with you is a great first step toward identifying these flying insects. I also always bring a camera with me. If I can’t identify the species of dragonfly in the field, having a picture makes it possible to compare it to pictures online when I get home.

2. Size and Shape - Paying attention to size and shape can help you determine if you are looking at a dragonfly or a damselfly. Dragonflies are usually larger, and rest with their wings spread out flat. Damselflies are smaller with a thinner body, and typically rest with their wings together.

3. Field Markings -  Dragonflies and damselflies come in every color imaginable. In addition to color, look for spots and stripes on the insect’s body and wings.

Damselflies, like this Eastern Red Damsel, usually rest with their wings folded together.

If you get stuck trying to identify a particular dragonfly, there are some great online resources that can help. One of my favorites is iNaturalist. iNaturalist is a citizen science platform where people can upload sighting locations and pictures of a variety of plants, animals, and insects and is what I use to identify my dragonfly pictures at home. There are also several Facebook groups solely dedicated to dragonflies and damselflies, and the members of these groups are always willing to help with an ID.

Look for Needham's Skimmers at thickly vegetated marshes, grassy pools, shallow plant-filled ponds, and wet ditches.

So, don’t despair if your backyard isn’t full of birds at the moment. Grab your camera and a field guide and join me in this new hobby of dragonfly watching!

False Cape State Park is located south of Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge, near Sandbridge, Virginia.

The park is accessible only by foot, bicycle, tram, or boat. You must travel through the Refuge to get to False Cape. Please observe all Refuge rules as well as Virginia State Park rules.  For directions to False Cape State Park please click here or call the park office at 757-426-7128.

Please note that Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge does not allow pets.