White-faced Meadowhawk

Sympetrum obtrusum

The White-faced Meadowhawk is a small dragonfly with a bright red body and a white face. They are often found resting on plants near water, where they hunt for tiny insects.

Hábitat: Wetlands

Aspecto

The White-faced Meadowhawk has a distinctive bright white face, especially in males, contrasting with its otherwise vibrant red body. Females are typically yellow-brown, but can also show some red as they mature. Their clear wings make their body colors stand out strikingly.

ReinoAnimaliaFiloArthropodaClaseInsectaOrdenOdonataFamiliaLibellulidaeGéneroSympetrum

White-faced Meadowhawk

Categoría

Insectos

Rareza

Common

Peligro

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Snaps

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Datos interesantes

A dragonfly's huge eyes can have up to 30,000 tiny lenses, making them incredible hunters.

Before becoming an adult, they live underwater for months, breathing with gills like a fish!

Dragonflies were among Earth's very first winged insects, flying over 300 million years ago!

Their transparent wings beat independently, allowing them to perform amazing aerial stunts.

Habilidades especiales

White-faced Meadowhawks have huge compound eyes that give them nearly 360-degree vision, helping them spot tiny prey from far away.

White-faced Meadowhawks can fly forwards, backwards, hover, and turn on a dime, making them expert hunters in the air.

Their young (naiads) are fierce underwater predators, snatching other aquatic creatures with a special extendable jaw.

White-faced Meadowhawks can quickly warm their bodies by basking in the sun, powering up their muscles for speedy flight.

Medidas y detalles

Envergadura: 45-55 mm
Tamaño: 29-36 mm
Esperanza de vida: 30-60 días
Velocidad de vuelo: 25 km/h
Cantidad de patas: 6

Dieta y alimentación

These speedy hunters keep bug populations in check by eating tiny flying insects!

Diferencias por edad: Young White-faced Meadowhawks (naiads) hunt aquatic insects and tadpoles underwater; adults catch flying insects in the air.

Alimentos principales

Mosquitoes
Midges
Small flies
Gnats
Small moths

Método de búsqueda

Pursuit

Conexiones ecológicas

hunts

Yellow fever mosquito

Aedes aegypti

Adults catch mosquitoes mid-air.

hunts

Common midge

Chironomus plumosus

A primary food source for adult dragonflies.

eaten by

American Bullfrog

Lithobates catesbeianus

Large frogs prey on adult dragonflies.

eaten by

Blue Jay

Cyanocitta cristata

Birds often snatch dragonflies from the air or perches.

eaten by

Bluegill

Lepomis macrochirus

Fish frequently eat dragonfly naiads underwater.

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.

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.