Black-tailed Skimmer

Orthetrum cancellatum

The Black-tailed Skimmer is a beautiful dragonfly with a black tip on its tail. It loves to fly over ponds and lakes, showing off its bright colors and graceful movements.

Lebensraum: Wetlands

Aussehen

The Black-tailed Skimmer has a robust body. Adult males are striking with a powdery pale blue abdomen and a distinct black tip, while females and immature males are yellowish-brown with a dark stripe. All have clear wings with a dark spot near the tip.

ReichAnimaliaStammArthropodaKlasseInsectaOrdnungOdonataFamilieLibellulidaeGattungOrthetrum

Black-tailed Skimmer

Kategorie

Insekten

Seltenheit

Common

Gefahr

1/5 · Sehr gering

Snaps

Mach den ersten Snap!

Interessante Fakten

Black-tailed Skimmers are like natural bug zappers, helping to control mosquito populations!

Dragonfly larvae can live for several years underwater, shedding their skin many times as they grow.

These ancient insects have been flying for over 300 million years, even before dinosaurs!

They form a 'mating wheel' in the air, a special shape to lay their eggs safely in the water.

Besondere Fähigkeiten

Black-tailed Skimmer has huge compound eyes that help them spot tiny flying insects from far away, even behind them.

Black-tailed Skimmer can fly forwards, backwards, and hover because of their powerful, independently moving wings, making them super agile hunters.

Black-tailed Skimmer larvae can breathe underwater and have a unique extendable jaw that helps them ambush other small aquatic creatures.

Maße und Details

Flügelspannweite: 70-80 mm
Größe: 44-50 mm
Lebenserwartung: 30-60 Tage
Fluggeschwindigkeit: 30-60 km/h
Anzahl der Beine: 6

Ernährung und Fütterung

Agile hunters of small flying insects, both as aquatic larvae and aerial adults.

Altersunterschiede: Larvae hunt underwater, ambushing aquatic invertebrates, while adults are aerial predators of flying insects.

Hauptnahrung

mosquitoes
midges
flies
small butterflies
aphids

Nahrungssuche

Pursuit

Ökologische Zusammenhänge

eaten by

European Kingfisher

Alcedo atthis

Kingfishers are fast birds that can catch adult dragonflies.

eaten by

European Perch

Perca fluviatilis

Fish in ponds often feast on young dragonfly larvae.

hunts

Common House Mosquito

Culex pipiens

Black-tailed Skimmers are expert hunters of mosquito adults.

eaten by

Common Frog

Rana temporaria

Frogs are opportunistic predators that will eat adult skimmers.

Merkmale

Luftbewohnend

Luftbewohnende Tiere verbringen einen erheblichen Teil ihres Lebens in der Luft und nutzen den Flug für verschiedene Aktivitäten wie Jagd, Wanderungen oder Nestbau.

Farbenfroh

Farbenfroh beschreibt Organismen oder Objekte, die eine große Vielfalt an leuchtenden und deutlich erkennbaren Farben aufweisen.

Insektenfressend

Dieses Merkmal kennzeichnet Organismen, deren Nahrung hauptsächlich aus Insekten und anderen kleinen Wirbellosen besteht.

Feuchtgebiet

Dieses Lebensraummerkmal kennzeichnet Arten, die in Feuchtgebieten vorkommen. Dies sind Landflächen, die dauerhaft oder saisonal mit Wasser gesättigt sind, darunter Marschland, Sümpfe und Moore.