In 1979 about fifty odonatologists from Germany and neighbouring countries gathered in Muenster for the first time. The first issue of the journal LIBELLULA was published in February, 1981. Later on the Society of German-speaking Odonatologists (GdO) was founded in Bonn in 1982. In 1992 the society was registered as a “non-profit society“. The number of members is over 570 at present including about 70 members from 13 other European countries.

In the meantime, regional working groups have been constituted in most of the federal states of Germany which are working on selected landscape units. Another aim of these groups are an all-compassing mapping of odonates in the federal states. Some results have been already published as books.

The Society of German-speaking Odonatologists (GdO) has the aim to promote the knowledge and conservation of dragonflies. It’s also a base to intensify contacts and exchange experiences between odonatologists.