Damselflies have long, slender bodies and disproportionately large eyes, which have made them, along with dragonflies, subject to folklore, legends and the names that go along with them. Among the names are the "devil's darning needle," the "horse stinger," the "mosquito hawk" and the "snake doctor." Among the strange folktales that spawned these nicknames are that dragonflies and damselflies would stitch the eyes of children shut while they were sleeping or that they warned snakes of danger.
There are many families of damselflies associated with the suborder Zygoptera of damselflies. Many of them have their own descriptive names, including demoiselles (Calopterygidae family), jewels (Chlorocyphidae family), barelegs (Dicteriadidae family), azure damselflies (Diphlebiidae family), gossamerwings (Euphaeidae family), reedlings (Hemiphlebiidae family), narrow-wings (Isostictidae family), spreadwings (Lestidae family), flatwings (Megapodagrionidae family), shortwings (Perilestidae family), bannerwings (Polythoridae family), pinflies (Protoneuridae family), forest giants (Pseudostigmatidae family) and sylphs (Synlestidae family).
Damselfly (which make the suborder Zygopterahey) have two pairs of similar sized wings, a long and very slender body and small legs. Damselflies can land on an object, but their legs are not built to walk. Damselflies grow from larval nymphs which grow up either in the trees or in water before undergoing metamorphosis and becoming adults. Damselflies feed on smaller flying insects.
Because of their similar body structures, damselflies and dragonflies are often grouped together and assumed to be exactly the same. Damselflies are different in many ways. Damselflies can fold their wings back perpendicular to their bodies, while dragonflies have rigid wings. Damselflies have separate eyes, unlike dragonflies. Damselflies are also generally smaller and can not fly as far or as fast. Damselflies also have two similar wings, while dragonflies have larger front wings.