Saffron-winged Meadowhawk

Sympetrum costiferum

The Saffron-winged Meadowhawk is a beautiful dragonfly with bright yellow wings. It loves to fly around sunny meadows and ponds, catching tiny bugs to eat.

Hábitat: Wetlands

Aspecto

The Saffron-winged Meadowhawk has a slender body, rusty brown thorax, and a yellow to reddish-brown abdomen with black markings. Its distinguishing feature is the vibrant saffron or amber patch at the base of its clear wings, especially prominent on the hindwings.

ReinoAnimaliaFiloArthropodaClaseInsectaOrdenOdonataFamiliaLibellulidaeGéneroSympetrum

Saffron-winged Meadowhawk

Categoría

Insectos

Rareza

Common

Peligro

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Snaps

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Datos interesantes

An adult Meadowhawk can eat hundreds of mosquitoes in just one day!

Dragonflies are one of Earth's oldest insects, flying for millions of years!

Dragonfly nymphs live underwater for years before becoming adults!

Their powerful wings beat up to 30 times a second for amazing flight.

Habilidades especiales

Saffron-winged Meadowhawk can fly forwards, backwards, and hover because of four independently moving wings that help them navigate expertly.

Saffron-winged Meadowhawk has huge compound eyes that help them spot tiny insect prey from far away with incredible detail.

Young Saffron-winged Meadowhawks (nymphs) can breathe underwater using gills that help them hunt other aquatic creatures.

Saffron-winged Meadowhawk can catch flying insects mid-air using its basket-like legs that help them scoop up prey.

Medidas y detalles

Envergadura: 50-65 mm
Tamaño: 32-40 mm
Esperanza de vida: 30-60 días
Velocidad de vuelo: 25 km/h
Cantidad de patas: 6

Dieta y alimentación

These agile hunters feast on tiny flying insects and, as youngsters, on critters underwater!

Diferencias por edad: Nymphs live underwater, preying on aquatic insects and tadpoles.

Alimentos principales

mosquitoes
flies
gnats
small moths
midges

Método de búsqueda

Pursuit

Conexiones ecológicas

eaten by

Yellow fever mosquito

Aedes aegypti

Helps control mosquito populations near water sources.

eaten by

House fly

Musca domestica

An important predator of common flying insect pests.

eats

American Robin

Turdus migratorius

Adult meadowhawks are a food source for many bird species.

eats

American Bullfrog

Lithobates catesbeianus

Frogs prey on adult and nymph stage dragonflies.

eaten by

Largemouth Bass

Micropterus salmoides

Aquatic nymphs are a food source for fish.

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.