Cardinal Meadowhawk

Sympetrum illotum

The Cardinal Meadowhawk is a bright red dragonfly that loves to fly around ponds and marshes. They are fun to watch as they dart and hover in the air, catching tiny insects.

Hábitat: Wetlands

Aspecto

The Cardinal Meadowhawk is a striking dragonfly, with males boasting a vibrant, fiery red body and face. Females are typically yellowish-brown with subtle red markings. Both sexes have clear wings, often with a faint amber patch at the base, distinguishing them from other meadowhawk species.

ReinoAnimaliaFiloArthropodaClaseInsectaOrdenOdonataFamiliaLibellulidaeGéneroSympetrum

Cardinal Meadowhawk

Categoría

Insectos

Rareza

Common

Peligro

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Snaps

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Datos interesantes

A Cardinal Meadowhawk can catch its insect prey right in the air, without ever slowing down!

Baby meadowhawks live underwater for years, breathing through gills before they fly!

Dragonflies have been soaring the skies since before the dinosaurs roamed Earth!

They are expert flyers, capable of hovering perfectly still like a miniature helicopter!

Habilidades especiales

Cardinal Meadowhawks can fly forwards, backwards, and hover because of their powerful, independently moving wings that helps them hunt.

Cardinal Meadowhawks have enormous compound eyes that helps them spot tiny prey and predators in all directions at once.

Cardinal Meadowhawk larvae are aquatic predators with a special hinged jaw that helps them ambush prey underwater.

Medidas y detalles

Envergadura: 50-65 mm
Tamaño: 30-45 mm
Esperanza de vida: 30-90 días
Velocidad de vuelo: 25 km/h
Cantidad de patas: 6

Dieta y alimentación

These flying hunters eat small insects like mosquitoes, catching them in mid-air!

Diferencias por edad: Larvae eat aquatic insects; adults hunt flying insects.

Alimentos principales

mosquitoes
gnats
flies
small moths
midges

Método de búsqueda

Pursuit

Conexiones ecológicas

hunts

Common House Mosquito

Culex pipiens

eats adult mosquitoes

hunts

Lake Midge

Chironomus plumosus

larvae eat midge larvae

eaten by

American Bullfrog

Rana catesbeiana

adults are prey for frogs

hunts

Mosquitofish

Gambusia affinis

eats dragonfly larvae

Rasgos

Solitario

Los animales solitarios viven solos durante la mayor parte de su vida y solo interactúan con otros para aparearse o cuidar de sus crías.

Aéreo

Las criaturas aéreas pasan una parte importante de su vida en el aire, utilizando el vuelo para diversas actividades como la caza, la migración o la anidación.

Colorido

Colorido describe a organismos u objetos que exhiben una amplia variedad de colores brillantes y distintivos.

Insectívoro

Este rasgo identifica a los organismos cuya dieta consiste principalmente en insectos y otros pequeños invertebrados.

Humedal

Este rasgo de hábitat identifica especies que se encuentran en humedales, que son áreas de tierra saturadas de agua, ya sea permanente o estacionalmente, e incluyen marismas, pantanos y ciénagas.