Today there are 5000 species worldwide, with 450 species in North America. At my sister's home in Moscow the other day, we saw three species in her yard, all at the same time. Actually, they do not bite or sting animals or humans, and are very beneficial to humankind. Dragonflies catch other smaller insects in mid-air and eat them. A favorite part of their diet is the mosquito.
Dragonflies have two sets of paired, transparent wings.
Some species' wings are fully or partially tinted. These wings operate independently of each other, allowing the dragonfly to fly either forward or backward at amazing speeds. They have been known to fly 50 to 60 miles per hour. They are so swift that they can usually escape birds and other animals that attempt to prey upon them. One landing very close over water, however, could probably be taken by a jumping bass, though I've not actually witnessed it.