Dragonflies of Ireland

Class Insecta - Order Odonata

Odonata is an order of predatory flying insects that includes the dragonflies and damselflies, and with fossil remains dating back 300 million years they are truly ancient creatures. They have 2 pairs of wings, whereas true flies only have one pair. Diptera (true flies) evolved much later in conjunction with flowering plants during the Cretaceous (145 to 66 million years ago).