This is a damselfly, not a dragonfly. Both are similar, but they are actually different. When a dragonfly rests, its wings are parrallel with the body, whereas a damselfly put its wings at its back. This is the main difference.

In Chinese, it is called “DouNiang”. “Dou” means bean, and “Niang” means mother or lady. It is called the “Lady of the Bean” in Chinese. That is true because this name describe actually how she behaves, she looks weak and soft. When she moves in the air, she always has a beautiful dance, just like a beautiful lady. She can stop in the air for a second, and then move backward and forward. She is shy but not really afraid of showing off her beautiful dance. She will not fly away unless you touch her or getting too close to her.

Similar to dragonfly, she lives next to the water, damselfly can have different types of colours, red, blue, green golden or combination of these colours. Usually the colour is shiny and silvery.

I likes to see her dance. It was many years ago, by the side of the drain behind my house, the damselflies could even stopped on my hand and let me have a close look at her. They are really beautiful. Besides butterflies, they are the prettiest insects. Since the drain was removed I seldom see damselfly anymore around my house, until weeks ago when I bring my camera to a place called Stutong Park, where we always go there for jogging. I am really happy because I can see a damselfly again.

Next to the damselfly, there is a bigger and similar insect. Yes, this is the dragonfly. He is stronger, make louder noise sometimes when it flies.

They are very much different, aren’t they?