Violet Dancer damselflies (mating pair, in tandem)

A mating pair of Violet Dancer damselflies. Photo 1 of 2 is a copy of the original photograph, cropped to highlight the damselflies; Photo 2 of 2 is the original photograph. Odonata, an order of insects including dragonflies and damselflies, reproduce in three stages: in tandem; in wheel (sometimes called "in heart" for damselflies); and oviposition. The damselflies shown in the preceding photo gallery are "in tandem," in which the male uses claspers at the end of its abdomen to hold the female by its thorax. Therefore, the male damselfly is on the upper-right in the preceding photos; the female on the lower-left.