Bernard Castelein / Western clubtail (Gomphus pulchellus) close up of female, Groot Schietveld, Wuustwezel, Belgium, May.

Ross Hoddinott / 2020VISION / Four-spotted chaser {Libellula quadrimaculata} dragonfly, dew covered, early morning light, Denmark Farm, Lampeter, Wales, UK. June 2011.

Nick Upton / Red-winged / Red-veined Darter Dragonfly (Sympetrum fonscolombii) male clasping stem of Juncus Rush. Polychnitos hot springs Lesbos / Lesvos, Greece, August.

Stephen Dalton / Broad bodied chaser dragonfly (Libellula depressa) just after take off, UK

Ross Hoddinott / Female emperor dragonfly (Anax imperator) laying eggs at the edge of a pond. Cornwall, UK.

Stephen Dalton / Large red damselfly (Pyrrhosoma nymphula) in flight over Plantain flowers, UK

Robin Chittenden / Male Keeled skimmer (Orthetrum coerulescens) perching, Holt Lowes CP, Norfolk, England, August

Ross Hoddinott / Emperor dragonfly {Anax imperator} having just emerged from nymph stage. North Cornwall, UK. June

Ross Hoddinott / Paired blue-tailed damselflies (Ischnura elegans) backlit, Lower Tamar Lake, Cornwall, UK. June.

Bernard Castelein / Four spotted libellula dragonfly covered with dew {Libellula quadrimaculata} Kalmthoutse Heide, Belgium

Chris Packham / Banded demoiselle reflected in water surface, UK

Stephen Dalton / Compound eyes of Southern hawker dragonfly (Aeshna cyanea) UK

Wild Wonders of Europe / Maitland / Mating pair of Azure damselflies (Coenagrion puella) on Plantain (Plantago sp) Lagadin region, Lake Ohrid, Galicica National Park, Macedonia, June 2009

Colin Varndell / Four-spotted chaser (Libellula quadrimaculata) Dorset, UK, June

Sven Zacek / Misty morning with dragonfly silhouetted in dawn light, on lake, Estonia

Jan Hamrsky / Portrait of Darner Dragonfly (Aeshna) nymph. Europe, September.

Wild Wonders of Europe / Muñoz / Emperor dragonfly (Anax imperator) nymph on plant stem, Campanarios de Azaba Biological Reserve, a rewilding Europe Area, Salamanca, Castilla y Leon, Spain

Robert Thompson / Hairy dragonfly (Brachytron pratense) adult emerging from pupal case, Montiaghs Moss NNR, County Antrim, Northern Ireland, UK, sequence 2/5

Robert Thompson / Hairy dragonfly (Brachytron pratense) adult emerging from pupal case, Montiaghs Moss NNR, County Antrim, Northern Ireland, UK, sequence 3/5

Robert Thompson / Hairy dragonfly (Brachytron pratense) adult newly emerged from pupal case, before wings have expanded, Montiaghs Moss NNR, County Antrim, Northern Ireland, UK, sequence 4/5

Robert Thompson / Hairy dragonfly (Brachytron pratense) adult emerging from pupal case, Montiaghs Moss NNR, County Antrim, Northern Ireland, UK, sequence 5/5

John Abbott / Halloween pennant dragonfly (Celithemis eponina) male at rest, Martin Dies Jr. State Park, Texas, USA, June

Ross Hoddinott / Banded demoiselle (Calopteryx splendens), silhouette of male on reed, Lower Tamar Lakes, Cornwall, UK. June.

Sven Zacek / Misty morning with reflections on lake and dragonfly hanging from sedge, Estonia

Kim Taylor / Common Darter Dragonfly {Sympetrum striolatum} female, close-up of compound eyes, Surrey, England.

Stephen Dalton / Common darter dragonfly (Sympetrum striolatum) in flight, UK

Jan Hamrsky / Portrait of Darner Dragonfly (Aeshna) nymph. Europe, August.

Stephen Dalton / Close-up head portrait of Southern hawker dragonfly (Aeshna cyanea) showing compound eye, UK

Guy Edwardes / 2020VISION / Black-tailed skimmer dragonfly (Orthetrum cancellatum), Westhay SWT reserve, Somerset Levels, England, UK

Stephen Dalton / Emperor dragonfly {Anax imperator} male in flight, UK

Ross Hoddinott / Emperor dragonfly {Anax imperator} silhouette seen through leaf. Cornwall, UK

Ross Hoddinott / Digital composite - Sequence showing Large red damselfly (Pyrrhosoma nymphula) emerging from nymphal case on reed to adult damselfly. Broxwater, Cornwall, England, UK. May 2010.

Stephen Dalton / Brown hawker dragonfly (Aeshna grandis) with morning dew, clinging to lichen-covered twig, UK

Robin Chittenden / Red-veined darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii) at rest, Alentejo, Portugal, October

Kim Taylor / Common darter dragonfly male landing on flower. Digital composite, UK.

Bernard Castelein / Yellow winged darters hanging from reed stem, Belgium, Europe

Ross Hoddinott / Blue tailed damselfly {Enallagma cyathigerum} Silhouetted. Cornwall, UK.

Guy Edwardes / 2020VISION / Two Beautiful demoiselles (Calopteryx virgo), River Char, Charmouth, Dorset, England, UK

Florian Möllers / Southern hawker dragonfly (Aeshna cyanea) soon after hatching, Germany, June

Ross Hoddinott / Broad bodied chaser dragonfly just emerged from nymphal case {Libellula depressa} Cornwall, UK

Stephen Dalton / Beautiful damselfly (Agrion / Calopteryx virgo) female, resting on leaf, England, UK, May

Ross Hoddinott / 2020VISION / Bannded demoiselle (Calopteryx splendens) covered in dew, resting on reed, Lower Tamar Lakes, Cornwall/Devon border, UK. May

Bernard Castelein / Banded demoiselle male {Calopteryx splendens} Belgium

Hans Christoph Kappel / Southern skimmer dragonflies (Orthetrum brunneum) mating. France, Europe

Jose B. Ruiz / Keeled skimmer dragonfly {Orthetrum coerulescens} close-up of wings, Spain.

Colin Varndell / Four-spotted chaser / libellula dragonfly {Libellula quadrimaculata}. UK.

Rolf Nussbaumer / Haloween pennant dragonfly {Celithemis eponina}pair mating, Welder Wildlife Refuge, Sinton, Texas, USA.

Nature Production / Giant Spiketail / Great Dragonfly {Anotogaster sieboldii} flying, Japan

Rolf Nussbaumer / Haloween pennant dragonfly {Celithemis eponina}~male profile, Welder Wildlife Refuge, Sinton, Texas, USA.

Bernard Castelein / Four spotted libellula dragonfly (Libellula quadrimaculata) covered in morning dew, Belgium

Bernard Castelein / White-faced Darter (Leucorrhinia dubia) wet with dew, Klein Schietveld, Brasschaat, Belgium

Paul Harcourt Davies / Ruddy darter dragonfly (Sympetrum sanguineum) male resting on post, Umbria, Italy

Robert Thompson / Banded demoiselle (Calopteryx splendens) resting on grass, County Down, Northern Ireland, UK, June

Robert Thompson / Emperor dragonfly (Anax imperator) resting, Hampshire, UK, June,

Chris O'Reilly / Banded damselfly / demoiselle (Calopteryx splendens) adult female resting on plant stem, UK.

Jose B. Ruiz / Dead Libellula dragonfly in the Rio Tinto, or Red River, very acidic and coloured deep red by iron dissolved in the water, causing severe environmental problems. Huelva, Spain

Colin Varndell / Freshly emerged Emperor dragonfly (Anax imperator). Dorset, UK, May.

Robert Thompson / Black sympetrum dragonfly (Sympetrum danae) female resting on Ling heather, Montiaghs Moss, County Antrim, Northern Ireland, UK, July

Mark Hamblin / 2020VISION / Male Banded demoiselle (Calopteryx splendens) on Purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) flower, Bedfordshire, England, UK, July 2012.

Ross Hoddinott / 2020VISION / Banded Demoiselle Damselfly (Calopteryx spendens) on grass stem, backlit in morning light Lower Tamar Lakes, Cornwall, UK, May. Winner of Seasons category of the BWPA 2011 competition. 2020VISION Boo...

Wild Wonders of Europe / Muñoz / Emperor Dragonfly (Anax imperator) resting portrait, Campanarios de Azaba Biological Reserve, a rewilding Europe Area, Salamanca, Castilla y Leon, Spain

Kim Taylor / Beautiful Demoiselle Damselfly (Calopteryx virgo) female taking off, UK captive

Danny Green / Black darter (Sympetrum danae) male dragonfly resting on St John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum) Glenn Afric, Scotland, July . Bookplate from Danny Green's 'The Long Journey North'

Guy Edwardes / 2020VISION / Southern hawker (Aeshna cyanea) resting, Somerset Levels, England, UK, August.

Bernard Castelein / Scarce chaser (Libellula fulva) female, Antwerp, Belgium, April.