#zygoptera

Juvenile hemimetabolous insects are called nymphs, and they look almost exactly like their adult counterparts. However, aquatic nymphs, called naiads, have a couple more differences due to living in a different environment.

For example, this blue-tailed damselfly nymph (Ischnura Elegans) has gills on the end of its abdomen.

Some insects that have naiads (aquatic nymphs) are dragonflies & damselflies (Odonata), mayflies (Ephemeroptera), and stoneflies (Plecoptera).

Sure! It's been some time since I did this one.

Azure damselfly - can be hard to differentiate from variable damselfly (C. pulchellum), especially if you only have pictures (thanks @ 2020 me 🥲), BUT ! On the second segment of that abdomen there's a black U form that isn't connected to the terminal band so i was in luck here i think ! They are also generally speaking a lot more blue compared to variable damselflies, in flight they almost look fully blue, very bright and beautiful.

I would generally not recommend holding damselflies like this (by the wings) unless you're looking for specific traits to help identify (that's why i had pictures of the thorax abdomen and tried to have pictures of the reproductive organs best as i could !). In general it's not a big problem long as you're gentle, but if you aren't used to it you might damage the wings.

(Coenagrion puella, adult male)

If my boyfriend were a bug I think he' be a Common Blue Damselfly- and he think I'd be the grub of a Western Hercules Beetle!