Gesellschaft deutschsprachiger Odonatologen

The Gesellschaft deutschsprachiger Odonatologen e.V. (GdO) is a German-language scientific society dedicated to the study and conservation of dragonflies and damselflies (Odonata). It was founded in 1982 in Bonn and is registered as a non-profit association (eingetragener Verein). Its headquarters are in Mönchengladbach. The society brings together odonatologists from Germany and neighbouring German-speaking countries, and its membership has grown to over 690 people from 18 countries, with a substantial share coming from outside Germany. The GdO's core mission is to promote knowledge about dragonflies and to support the protection of native dragonfly species. It facilitates contact and exchange between dragonfly specialists through meetings, working groups and a mailing list. The society publishes the scientific journal Libellula, which first appeared in February 1981 and continues to be issued twice a year with original contributions on the biology, ecology, distribution and conservation of European dragonflies. It also publishes the irregular Libellula Supplement monograph series and the Libellennachrichten newsletter. Beyond publishing, the GdO coordinates regional working groups in several German federal states, such as the Libellengruppe Bremen, AK Libellen in Hessen and AK Libellen NRW. Since 2007 it has supported the development of a distribution atlas covering the 81 dragonfly species recorded in Germany. Since 2011 it has jointly selected the Libelle des Jahres (Dragonfly of the Year) with the Bund für Umwelt und Naturschutz Deutschland (BUND), using the campaign to draw attention to environmental and ecological issues. The society also maintains a mailing list for reporting notable dragonfly observations and participates in national species-knowledge qualification and certification initiatives.

The origins of the Gesellschaft deutschsprachiger Odonatologen (GdO) lie in a working meeting held in 1979 in Münster, where around 50 German-speaking dragonfly specialists from Germany and neighbouring countries came together. This informal gathering laid the groundwork for a more permanent organization. In February 1981 the first issue of the journal Libellula appeared, providing a scientific publication outlet for the emerging community of odonatologists. The society itself was formally founded in 1982 in Bonn as the Gesellschaft deutschsprachiger Odonatologen. A decade later, in 1992, it was entered in the register of associations and recognized as a non-profit organization, giving it a formal legal status as an eingetragener Verein (e.V.). Over the following decades the GdO grew into a central forum for German-language dragonfly research and conservation, with its headquarters eventually located in Mönchengladbach. Membership expanded steadily. By the 2020s the society reported more than 690 members from 18 countries, with roughly 70 members coming from elsewhere in Europe. Regional working groups formed in several German federal states, including the Libellengruppe Bremen, AK Libellen in Hessen and AK Libellen NRW, undertaking targeted habitat surveys, landscape-level studies and state-wide mapping projects. In 2007 the GdO initiated the development of a distribution atlas of the 81 dragonfly species recorded in Germany, intended to synthesize distribution data from all federal states and yield cross-state insights into the distribution, ecology and biology of dragonflies. Since 2011 the society has jointly selected the Libelle des Jahres (Dragonfly of the Year) with the Bund für Umwelt und Naturschutz Deutschland (BUND), using the annual designation to highlight environmental themes and ecological connections, in the manner of other 'Nature of the Year' campaigns. The society continues to publish Libellula twice a year, along with the irregular Libellula Supplement monographs and the Libellennachrichten newsletter, and maintains a mailing list for the exchange of notable dragonfly observations.

• 2025

  Bronze certificate examination for dragonflies held in Mainz on 27 May.

• 2023

  Membership reported at over 690, with about 70 from outside Germany.

• 2011

  First joint selection of the Libelle des Jahres (Dragonfly of the Year) with BUND.

• 2009

  Libellula Supplement volume 9 published: Atlas of the Odonata of the Mediterranean and North Africa.

• 2007

  Initiation of a distribution atlas of the 81 dragonfly species recorded in Germany.

• 1992

  Registered as an association and recognized as non-profit.

• 1982

  Gesellschaft deutschsprachiger Odonatologen founded in Bonn.

• 1981

  First issue of the journal Libellula published in February.

• 1979

  First working meeting of about 50 German-speaking odonatologists in Münster.

A non-profit German-language scientific society and membership organization for dragonfly researchers and conservationists, known for its journal Libellula and its role in coordinating dragonfly recording and protection in Central Europe.

• Libellula

  Scientific journal published twice a year with contributions on the biology, ecology, distribution and conservation of European dragonflies; first issued in February 1981.

• Libellula Supplement

  Irregular monograph series on special topics, e.g. the Atlas of the Odonata of the Mediterranean and North Africa (volume 9, 2009).

• Libellennachrichten

  Newsletter of the society, published twice a year.

• Distribution atlas of German dragonflies

  Project initiated in 2007 to synthesize distribution data for the 81 dragonfly species recorded in Germany.

• Mailing list

  A mailing list for exchanging notable dragonfly observations, such as first and last observations of imagines or new records of species.

1. 1Gesellschaft deutschsprachiger Odonatologen e.V. (GdO) – official websitelibellula.org
2. 2Wir über uns – Gesellschaft deutschsprachiger Odonatologen e.V. (GdO)libellula.org
3. 3Mailingliste der GdO – Gesellschaft deutschsprachiger Odonatologen e.V. (GdO)libellula.org
4. 4Gesellschaft deutschsprachiger Odonatologen – Wikidatawikidata.org
5. 5Gesellschaft deutschsprachiger Odonatologen – Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org