Dragonflies are amongst the most beautiful and interesting groups in the insect world. They also include some of the oldest known insects. The fossil record of dragonflies is perhaps better represented than that of any other insect group. Fossils have been found to date back 250 million years and they look just like the dragonflies of today, only much larger. One fossil species, Meganeura monyi, had a wingspan of 70 cm! Modern dragonflies are a lot smaller, having sacrificed size for speed and agility.

The Emperor Dragonflies, with wingspans of 10 to 13 cm, are the largest of the present-day South African dragonflies. Two species have been illustrated: the Blue Emperor (Anax imperator) and the Red Emperor (Anax speratus). Both kinds can be seen around still water (pools, ponds, lakes) and along streams and rivers. They are quite easy to distinguish from all other dragonflies because of their very large size and bright colouration. They fly in search of small insects to eat, and you will see them over open water and along the water's edge where they occasionally stop to perch on plants. The Blue Emperor is one of only a few species that Africa shares with Europe. It is very widely distributed throughout this region, Europe and Western Asia.