Skimmers

Libellulidae

Skimmers are colorful dragonflies that love to fly over water. They have long bodies and wide wings, making them great at catching insects in the air.

Hábitat: Wetlands

Aspecto

The Skimmers are medium-sized dragonflies, often with a stout body and large, prominent eyes. They display diverse colors, from reds and blues to browns and yellows, sometimes with patterned wings. Their broad, flattened abdomen often helps distinguish them from other dragonfly types.

ReinoAnimaliaFiloArthropodaClaseInsectaOrdenOdonataFamiliaLibellulidae

Skimmers

Categoría

Insectos

Rareza

Common

Peligro

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Snaps

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Datos interesantes

A Skimmer can snatch a mosquito out of the air and eat it without even landing!

Skimmer babies, called nymphs, live underwater for up to five years before they can fly!

Skimmers are one of the fastest insects, able to fly at speeds up to 45 kilometers per hour!

Some Skimmers are expert long-distance travelers, migrating thousands of kilometers across oceans!

Habilidades especiales

Skimmers have nearly 360-degree vision because their massive compound eyes help them spot prey and predators from almost any direction.

Skimmers can fly forwards, backwards, and hover in mid-air because their four independent wings allow for incredibly precise maneuverability.

Skimmers can quickly devour their prey because they possess strong, serrated mouthparts perfect for tearing up insects mid-flight.

Medidas y detalles

Envergadura: 40-110 mm
Tamaño: 25-90 mm
Esperanza de vida: 30-180 días
Velocidad de vuelo: 45 km/h
Cantidad de patas: 6

Dieta y alimentación

Skimmers are aerial predators, catching and eating other insects right out of the air!

Diferencias por edad: Nymphs hunt aquatic insects and tadpoles underwater, while adults hunt flying insects.

Alimentos principales

mosquitoes
flies
midges
small butterflies

Método de búsqueda

Pursuit

Conexiones ecológicas

hunts

African malaria mosquito

Anopheles gambiae

Reduces mosquito populations, controlling disease.

eaten by

American Bullfrog

Rana catesbeiana

Larval skimmers are prey for larger aquatic predators.

eaten by

Osprey

Pandion haliaetus

Adult skimmers are sometimes caught by birds.

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.