Variable Dancer

The order Odonata is divided into two suborders. There is the suborder Anisoptera, which is composed of the dragonflies, and the suborder Zygoptera, which is made up of the damselflies. So what is the difference between dragonflies and damselflies? The meaning of their suborder names tells the story. Anisoptera in Latin  translates roughly to mean "different winged" where Zygoptera translates into "same winged". The fore wings of dragonflies is a different size and shape then their hind wings while all 4 of the damselflies wings are roughly the same size and shape.

Damselflies are typically smaller then dragonflies which can make it more difficult to identify them. They are divided into three families, broadwinged damselflies, spread-winged damselflies and pond damselflies. Broad-wings and spreadwings are usually a bit larger and easier to identify. Pond damsels are kind of a catch all family and is comprised of dancers, red damsels, Aurora damsels, Eurasian and American bluets, sprites and forktails. It can be difficult to distinguish many of these species from each other unless you have them under a magnifying lens or microscope. One exception to this is the variable, or violet, dancer. The male variable dancer is the only damselfly in this area that is fully purple. The females are more difficult to distinguish as they are usually brown in color and look similar to females of other species. The variable dancer is common in the eastern two thirds of North America. Here in Minnesota they are pretty rare. They are usually only found in the eastern part of the state. I believe that when I photographed this one it might have been a county record.

Zygoptera

Zygoptera is the suborder of insects which damselflies belong to. It is one half of the order Odonata which also includes the suborder Anisoptera which are the dragonflies. Zygoptera roughly translates as "same Wing". The fore and hind wings of the damselfly are approximately the same size and shape where dragonflies have different shaped fore and hind wings. 

There are some other differences that can help identify between zygoptera (damselflies) and anisoptera (dragonfly) but many of these other field marks have exceptions. Damselflies all have eyes that are widely separated while most dragonflies, with the exception of the clubtail family, all have eyes that meet in the middle. Dragonflies are typically larger then damselflies, however the longest odonata in the world is the helicopter damselfly of South America. Dragonflies usually perch holding their wings out flat at their sides where damselflies perch with their wings folded together over their back with the exception of the spreadwing damselflies that hold their wings out at a 45 % angle at their side.