Twelve-spotted Skimmer

Libellula pulchella

The Twelve-spotted Skimmer is a colorful dragonfly with twelve black spots on its wings. It loves to fly around ponds and lakes, making it a fun sight to see on sunny days!

Hábitat: Wetlands

Aspecto

The Twelve-spotted Skimmer has a dark body with yellow markings. Its most distinctive feature is three dark spots on each of its four clear wings. Males also develop striking white patches between these spots, while females and young males have yellowish-orange patches that fade with age.

ReinoAnimaliaFiloArthropodaClaseInsectaOrdenOdonataFamiliaLibellulidaeGéneroLibellula

Twelve-spotted Skimmer

Categoría

Insectos

Rareza

Common

Peligro

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Snaps

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Datos interesantes

Each of its four wings can move independently, making it a master of agile flight!

Its underwater babies, called nymphs, are fierce predators with extendable jaws!

The Twelve-spotted Skimmer can eat hundreds of mosquitoes in just one day!

This amazing insect lived on Earth even before the first dinosaurs appeared!

Habilidades especiales

Twelve-spotted Skimmer can fly with incredible agility because each wing moves independently, helping them snatch prey mid-flight.

Twelve-spotted Skimmer has huge compound eyes that give it almost 360-degree vision, helping them spot tiny flying insects.

Twelve-spotted Skimmer nymphs have an extendable lower jaw that shoots out like a mask to ambush and grab aquatic prey.

Medidas y detalles

Envergadura: 80-110 mm
Tamaño: 48-63 mm
Esperanza de vida: 30-60 días
Velocidad de vuelo: 50 km/h
Cantidad de patas: 6

Dieta y alimentación

This swift hunter zips through the air to snatch up tasty flying insects!

Diferencias por edad: Nymphs hunt aquatic insects and tadpoles underwater; adults hunt flying insects in the air.

Alimentos principales

mosquitoes
flies
midges
moths
butterflies
smaller dragonflies

Método de búsqueda

Ambush

Conexiones ecológicas

hunts

House Fly

Musca domestica

eats flying insects like flies

eaten by

American Bullfrog

Rana catesbeiana

adult skimmers are prey for frogs

eaten by

Yellow Perch

Perca flavescens

fish prey on the aquatic nymphs

depends on

Common Cattail

Typha latifolia

nymphs hide in its submerged roots

Rasgos

Manchado

Marcado con manchas o parches de un color diferente.

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.