Habitat specificity is the most important factor affecting the regional distribution of dragonflies. Nevertheless, species with the highest specificity are not always the scarcest. Several important determinants of dragonfly density-distribution relationships were identified. Altitude preference and altitude range are significantly associated with dragonfly distribution. Some of the species that are habitat specialists but occur over a wide range of altitudes should be classified as rare but not endangered. This very simple principle is based on the assumption that habitat specialists have a very limited number of suitable biotopes. Obviously, dragonflies with a marginal distribution prefer a narrow range of altitudes (especially in terms of temperature limitation) and biotopes (effect of biogeography, marginality). Surprisingly, there is no "critical" life stage that is significantly associated with the regional distribution of dragonflies, although most species spend most time in the larval stage. Knowledge of the dispersal ability of particular species is limited, although it could significantly affect species survival and distribution.
Dospělci vážek žijí a létají na souši. Některé druhy však dokáží snášet vajíčka endofyticky do pletiv rostlin i zcela ponořeně pod vodou, kdy dýchají atmosférický kyslík ze souvislého vzduchového filmu, jímž se potáhne tělo vážek. Nově byla prokázána tato neobvyklá životní strategie i u šídlatky páskované (Lestes sponsa). and Dragonfly adults live terrestrially. Moreover, some species can lay eggs into plant tissues, being totally submerged and breathing atmospheric oxygen from the continuous air film which covers a dragonfly body. Recently this life-history strategy was found in the Emerald Damselfly (Lestes sponsa).