[3] While most damselflies rest with their wings folded together, most members of the family Lestidae hold them at an angle away from their bodies.

The pterostigma (a single dark spot in the meshwork of the leading edge near the tip of each wing) is noticeably elongated.

The quadrilateral (a part of the wing venation, close to the body) has an acute angle at the end.

Breeding takes place in slow-moving or still water in stream backwaters, swamps, marshes and temporary pools.

The exact taxonomy of the family is disputed, with some authorities including twelve genera[5] and some eight.