The rich collection found in Mont-Tremblant’s Animalium includes several of the 140 species of dragonflies and damselflies found in Quebec. These large, brightly coloured insects have two pairs of membranous, translucent and almost identical wings. Both are members of the order Odonata, a word coming from the Greek which means “toothed”, referring to the mouthparts.

Odonata are, indeed, formidable carnivores. They are inoffensive to humans, and enliven ponds, streams and lakes in their search for insects. They play an essential role in the balance of nature.

These creatures, whose shape inspired helicopter designers, can be seen during the daytime and at dusk on warm summer days. Adults mate in flight or perched on a twig. After having been fertilized, the female deposits her eggs directly in the water, in foam or on the submerged part of an aquatic plant. The eggs hatch a few days later, releasing small larvae that hunt by hiding out, waiting patiently on the bottom of the pond for prey to pass by.

After some months of aquatic life (between 12 and 48 months, depending on the species), the larva exits the water, attaches itself to the stalk of a bush and then moults, thus transforming itself into the adult whose ephemeral life, for some species, ends with the arrival of the cold season. Others migrate like birds, spending winter in the southern United States and returning in springtime.

What’s the difference between a dragonfly and a damselfly?
Dragonflies are Odonata anisoptera. They have a strong body and keep their wings extended horizontally when they land and when they chase insects on the wing. Damselflies, on the other hand, are Odonata zygoptera. Their bodies are more delicate-looking, and they fold back their wings when they land and hunt from a perch.

Odonata, whether in the larval stage or as adults, contribute to the biological control of a wide variety of insects and then serve, in turn, as food for a large number of arthropods, fish, birds and amphibians. Their presence is an indicator of environmental quality; observing them is a sheer delight. A visit to Animalium will convince you.

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