Dragonflies and damselflies that occur here are divided into two large groups: the suborder Zygoptera (the equal-winged damselflies) and the suborder Anisoptera (the dragonflies). Today worldwide there are about 2,700 different species of equal-winged damselflies; of these, in Slovenia 31 species have been found, which we classify into four families – jewelwings (Calopterygidae), zverce (Lestidae), presličarji (Platycnemididae) and škratci (Coenagrionidae); representatives of all three families can also be found in Notranjski Park.
Equal-winged damselflies are slender and delicate creatures, which typically rest with folded wings held over the body. An exception are members of the genus Lestes, which rest with wings half-open. We will distinguish the equal-winged damselflies from their more robust relatives also by the placement of the eyes, which in equal-winged damselflies are clearly and widely separated from the head, and by the shape of the base of the hind wings. As the name of this group already indicates, the base of their hind wings is similar to the base of the forewings.
