Swamp Spreadwing

Lestes vigilax

The Swamp Spreadwing is a beautiful dragonfly that loves to flutter around wetlands. With its long, slender body and colorful wings, it dances in the air, making it a joy to watch!

Hábitat: Wetlands

Aspecto

The Swamp Spreadwing is a slender damselfly, often exhibiting a metallic green or bronze body. Males can develop powdery blue markings on their thorax and tail end as they age. Its clear wings are held distinctively spread at an angle when it rests, a key identifier for this group.

ReinoAnimaliaFiloArthropodaClaseInsectaOrdenOdonataFamiliaLestidaeGéneroLestes

Swamp Spreadwing

Categoría

Insectos

Rareza

Common

Peligro

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Snaps

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Datos interesantes

A Swamp Spreadwing starts life underwater, transforming from a larva to a flying adult!

Look closely at their legs; they're spiky to help them grab onto slippery flying prey!

Males will often guard their territory, chasing away other damselflies who get too close.

They are ancient insects, with relatives that lived alongside dinosaurs millions of years ago.

Habilidades especiales

Swamp Spreadwing holds its wings open at rest, which helps them quickly warm up in the sun or cool down in the shade.

Swamp Spreadwing has huge compound eyes that help them spot tiny flying insects for a meal while zipping through the air.

Swamp Spreadwing starts life as a naiad that breathes underwater using special gills, helping it hunt tiny aquatic creatures.

Medidas y detalles

Envergadura: 45-55 mm
Tamaño: 35-45 mm
Esperanza de vida: 30-60 días
Velocidad de vuelo: 15 km/h
Cantidad de patas: 6

Dieta y alimentación

They are fierce insect hunters, catching tiny flying prey with impressive aerial maneuvers!

Diferencias por edad: Larvae (naiads) hunt aquatic invertebrates; adults hunt flying insects.

Alimentos principales

mosquitoes
gnats
small flies
midges

Método de búsqueda

Pursuit

Conexiones ecológicas

hunts

Common House Mosquito

Culex pipiens

Adults prey on this common pest, helping control populations.

hunts

Lake Midge

Chironomus plumosus

Adults actively catch midges, a common food source, while flying.

eaten by

American Bullfrog

Rana catesbeiana

Adult damselflies can become a meal for this large, hungry amphibian.

eaten by

Mosquitofish

Gambusia affinis

Their aquatic naiads are a food source for fish like the mosquitofish.

depends on

Common Cattail

Typha latifolia

They use cattails for perching, hunting from, and laying their eggs on.

Rasgos

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.

Imán para polinizadores

Describe plantas que son particularmente atractivas y beneficiosas para una amplia variedad de organismos polinizadores.

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.