Two elegant flying insects are similar enough that they’re confused for one another.

I’m talking about the dragonfly and damselfly.

Both insects belong to the Odonata order, with damselflies grouped into three families and dragonflies into seven. One interesting theory about how dragonflies got their name comes from a Romanian folktale, in which the word “drac” was used for both “devil” and “dragon.”

Somewhere along the way, the name “devil’s fly” evolved into dragonfly.

Adult dragonflies and damselflies live anywhere from a few weeks to a few months, while the nymphal stage can last from several months to several years, depending on the species.

To date, 164 species have been recorded in Ohio. They play an important role in ecosystems serving as predators of insects, consuming hundreds of mosquitoes a day.

They also provide a food source for birds, bats and other predators.

They may look so delicate but are ferocious hunters. Odonata means “toothed ones” because of their serrated mandibles. When hunting they catch prey with their feet, tear off prey’s wings with their sharp jaws so they can’t escape.

Then they finish their meal without even needing to land.

Few species can compare to their flying ability. They have two sets of wings with muscles in the thorax that allows them each wing independently. This allows them to change the angle of each wing letting them fly in any direction, including sideways, backward and to hover in a single spot for a minute or more.

They have large compound eyes that contain 30,000 facets. This allows them to have almost 360-degree vision letting them to single one insect within a swarm, go after it avoiding midair collisions with the other insects in the swarm.

Their lifecycle is divided into four stages: egg, larva, pupa and adult.

Females lay their eggs in or near water with eggs hatching within a few days to weeks. The larva stage refers to the hatching eggs that are aquatic and called nymphs. They live in the water and feed on small aquatic animals, such as tadpoles, insects and small fish.

They undergo several molts as they grow and their appearance changes dramatically with each one. After these molts, the nymphs crawl out of the water and transform into pupa.

During this stage their body undergoes major changes as it transforms from a water-dwelling nymph into an adult. The adult emerges from papal case and begins to mate and lay eggs.

You can attract Odonates to your landscape by providing water as they need it to lay eggs and give larva a home.

I am lucky to have ponds on three sides of my property, so I see an abundance of dragonflies and damselflies. Their presence indicates that the water is clean and unpolluted.

Offer hiding spots with vegetation near water allowing them to rest, sun themselves and hide. Grow native plants that attract dragonflies and damselflies.

These may include black-eyed Susan, coneflower, asters, joe-pye weed and yarrow.

Avoid pesticides, as they are harmful to dragonflies and damselflies. Instead, encourage natural predators, such as birds and ladybugs, to help control insect populations alongside these beneficial insects.

Not only is it amazing to watch their aerial feats, but they have inspired us to create new technologies from drones to artificial visual systems.

Baytos is an Ohio State University Extension Master Gardener Volunteer in Mahoning County.