# Amanda's Pennant (*Celithemis amanda*) Amanda's Pennant is a beautiful dragonfly with bright colors. It flits around ponds and streams, showing off its lovely wings. Watching them is like seeing a tiny rainbow in the air! - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![Amanda's Pennant](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Celithemis_amanda.jpg&width=800) Photo: Eric Haley, CC BY 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Celithemis_amanda.jpg) ## Appearance The Amanda's Pennant is a small to medium-sized dragonfly with a striking appearance. Males display a reddish-orange body with distinct amber-colored patches at the base of their wings, while females are typically yellower. Both sexes have clear wingtips and a relatively stout body compared to many other dragonflies. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Odonata - **Family:** Libellulidae - **Genus:** Celithemis ## Interesting facts - Did you know dragonfly nymphs live underwater for years before they become adults? Wow! - Dragonflies shed their skin many times as they grow, leaving behind ghostly exuviae like a snake! - Their huge eyes have thousands of tiny lenses, helping them spot small bugs from far away! - Young Amanda's Pennants breathe underwater using gills located inside their bottom! Super cool! ## Special abilities - **Aerial Acrobatics:** Amanda's Pennant can fly forward, backward, and hover perfectly, allowing them to catch prey with incredible agility. - **Super Sight:** Amanda's Pennant has huge compound eyes that let them see almost 360 degrees, helping them spot even tiny, fast-moving insects. - **Aquatic Ambush:** As a nymph, Amanda's Pennant can patiently wait underwater, ambushing tiny aquatic creatures that swim too close. - **Sun Basking:** Amanda's Pennant can adjust its body angle to absorb more sun or point its tail at the sun to stay cool on hot days. ## Measurements & details - **Wingspan:** 45-70 mm - **Size:** 30-45 mm - **Lifespan:** 30-60 days - **Flight Speed:** 20 km/h - **Leg Count:** 6 ## Diet & Feeding These aerial hunters munch on smaller flying insects they expertly catch mid-air! - **Age differences:** Nymphs hunt aquatic invertebrates and small fish/tadpoles underwater, while adults hunt flying insects in the air. - **Primary Foods:** mosquitoes, gnats, flies, midges, small moths - **Foraging Method:** Pursuit ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Eastern Kingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-kingbird) (*Tyrannus tyrannus*) — Adult dragonflies are a food source for these birds. - **Eaten by:** [American Bullfrog](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-bullfrog) (*Lithobates catesbeianus*) — Bullfrogs prey on adult dragonflies near water. - **Hunts:** [Yellow Fever Mosquito](https://www.snappit.app/explore/yellow-fever-mosquito) (*Aedes aegypti*) — Adult dragonflies hunt mosquitoes, helping control populations. - **Hunts:** Common Midge (*Chironomus plumosus*) — Dragonflies are efficient predators of various midge species. ## Traits - [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care. - [Aerial](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aerial): Aerial creatures spend a significant portion of their lives airborne, utilizing flight for various activities such as hunting, migration, or nesting. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Insectivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/insectivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates. - [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wetland): This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Freshwater](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/freshwater): Freshwater habitats include non-saline aquatic environments such as rivers, lakes, ponds, and wetlands, vital for numerous species. - [Speedster](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/speedster): This trait identifies organisms that exhibit exceptional swiftness in movement for hunting, escape, or travel. - [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants. ## Collections - [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/insects) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Dragonflies are safe to watch, but don't try to catch them; they are delicate. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Amanda's Pennant? Compare wing shape and resting posture, where the eyes sit, body markings and the tail segments. Males and females can look very different in color. Dragonfly Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### What is Amanda's Pennant's wingspan? 45-70 mm ### How big is Amanda's Pennant? 30-45 mm ### How long does Amanda's Pennant live? 30-60 days ### How fast can Amanda's Pennant fly? 20 km/h ### What does Amanda's Pennant eat? These aerial hunters munch on smaller flying insects they expertly catch mid-air! ### Where is Amanda's Pennant usually found? Wetlands ### How does Amanda's Pennant hunt? Pursuit ## Where to spot - [Lake Seminole](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/lake-seminole) — Georgia, US · Natural Landmark ## More Insects - [Common Eastern Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*) - [Spotted Lanternfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spotted-lanternfly) (*Lycorma delicatula*) - [Brown-belted Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-belted-bumble-bee) (*Bombus griseocollis*) - [Eastern Carpenter Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-carpenter-bee) (*Xylocopa virginica*) --- Source: [Amanda's Pennant: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/amandas-pennant)