The larval stage of damselflies and dragonflies is aquatic. In both cases, the larvae are carnivorous and are active hunters of aquatic insects, crustaceans, snails, tadpoles and small fish. The larva molts as it grows and will eventually crawl up a stem or similar support to start its adult phase.

Damselflies obtain oxygen through three projections (caudal lamellae) at the tip of the abdomen and dragonflies (such as the darner here) have numerous gills inside the abdomen.