The hunt for Odonates (an order of insects encompassing dragonflies and damselflies) of Chatham County, especially on Skidaway Island, has been a most interesting and ever expanding challenge. As of late 2008 thirty-two species; eight damselflies and twenty-four dragonflies have been documented. Skidaway.net, the website of Russ Wigh, is a great reference for photographs & information related to these species around our island. Skidaway Island has one hundred, forty-two plus lagoons (fresh and brackish water), drainage ditches, low bog areas, etc. - all provide excellent habitat for these beautifully colored & camouflaged creatures. Keep in mind the slender and elongated body of a small damselfly may only be 0.8 to 1.7 inches in length. They often are secreted in low aquatic vegetation and are most difficult to locate, much less photograph. A leading expert of Odonata is Giff Beaton, simply a wonderful individual and the author of, ‘Dragonflies & Damselflies of Georgia and the Southeast’ (University of Georgia Press, 2007; ISBN 0820327956), by far the best guide available. If you’d like to learn more go directly to the source at Giff Beaton’s Web Page. The species format as presented below follows the order of Giff’s book.