Odonata (Dragonflies & Damselflies)  

There are over 50 species of dragonflies and damselflies recorded in the British Isles, however the biodiversity decreases towards the north of Scotland with only 18 species breeding in the Highland region. Ten species have been recorded in the Outer Hebrides; of which, seven are common and widely distributed. The golden-ringed dragonfly and the emerald damselfly are both very scarce, and there is only a single record of the vagrant Emperor, a rare migrant from sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East.
The Odonata is divided into two suborders: Dragonflies (Anisoptera) and Damselflies (Zygoptera).