Partner: National Park Kopaonik

Period: 2025.

Project leader: Dr. Dajana Todorović, Department of Insect Physiology and Biochemistry, IBISS

External advisors:
MSc Miloš Jović, Natural History Museum, Belgrade

Abstract

Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies) are a well-studied, not very diverse (in Europe) and rather conspicuous group of insects whose larval development takes place in freshwater ecosystems. Larvae of some species inhabit very specific habitats (like woodland streams and rivers, salines...). The largest and strongest dragonflies are the best predators among invertebrates and are therefore useful indicators of intact and well-structured aquatic ecosystems. Dragonflies and damselflies are very often included in national and international documents that are the basis for the development and implementation of environmental legislation.

In 2025, monitoring of Odonata in Kopaonik National Park continued. The previously established system of broader areas – localities and specific habitats – locations enabled a consistent approach to observing dragonfly and damselfly populations. Clearly defined movement paths and precisely mapped locations provided the basis for regular checks of the condition of both the populations and the habitats. In this way, experts can efficiently monitor the changes that continuously occur in space and time.