Dragonflies and damselflies are "cousins" in the order Odonata.  They both begin life as an egg, hatching underwater.  After at least a year in the water (up to 5 years, for some cold-climate species!), the larvae of both odes emerge, "unzip" their skins, and step out as adults.  They unfurl their long tails and wings, pump them full of fluids, harden their exoskeletons, and fly off, to repeat the cycle.  The colors are gorgeous and the behaviors are fascinating as these fierce predators dazzle us with their aerobatic stunts.