Aztec Dancer
ExploreInsects
Aztec Dancer
Argia nahuana
The Aztec Dancer is a beautiful dragonfly with bright colors. It loves to flutter around near water, showing off its amazing flying skills. Watching it dance in the air is like seeing a tiny rainbow!
Habitat: Wetlands
Appearance
The Aztec Dancer is a slender damselfly, usually bright blue with black markings on its abdomen and thorax, especially in males. Its clear, delicate wings are held together over its back when resting, unlike dragonflies. Females are typically duller, often greenish-brown or bluish-gray.
KingdomAnimaliaPhylumArthropodaClassInsectaOrderOdonataFamilyCoenagrionidaeGenusArgia
Category
InsectsRarity
Common
Danger
1/5 · Very low
Snaps
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Interesting facts
Aztec Dancer babies live underwater for months or even years before flying!
Male Aztec Dancers perform dazzling aerial dances to attract a mate!
They can eat hundreds of tiny annoying mosquitoes in just one day!
When an Aztec Dancer grows up, it leaves its old skin behind clinging to a plant!
Special abilities
Ability
Acrobatic Flight
Aztec Dancer can quickly change direction in mid-air because of its agile wings that help them hunt flying insects.
Ability
Underwater Hunter
Its nymphs (young Aztec Dancers) can breathe underwater using gills that helps them hunt tiny aquatic prey.
Ability
360-Degree Vision
Aztec Dancer has huge compound eyes that helps them spot prey and predators from almost any direction.
Ability
Stealthy Tracker
Aztec Dancer can dart quickly through dense vegetation because of its slender body, helping it evade predators.
Measurements & details
- Wingspan
- 40-55 mm
- Size
- 30-38 mm
- Lifespan
- 30-60 days
- Flight Speed
- 10 km/h
- Leg Count
- 6
Diet & Feeding
Tiny flying insects are on the menu for this speedy hunter, keeping mosquito populations in check!
Age differences: Young Aztec Dancers (nymphs) eat aquatic insects, while adults hunt flying insects in the air.
Primary Foods
- mosquitoes
- gnats
- small flies
- midges
- mayflies
Foraging Method
- Pursuit
Ecological connections
Hunts
common mosquito
Culex pipiens
Adults help control mosquito populations.
Eaten by
common green darner
Anax junius
Larger dragonflies sometimes prey on smaller damselflies.
Eaten by
American bullfrog
Lithobates catesbeianus
Frogs prey on adult damselflies near water.
Eaten by
western mosquitofish
Gambusia affinis
Fish eat damselfly nymphs in the water.
Traits
Aerial
Aerial creatures spend a significant portion of their lives airborne, utilizing flight for various activities such as hunting, migration, or nesting.
Colorful
Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.
Insectivorous
This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates.
Pollinator Magnet
Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms.
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
Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night.
Speedster
This trait identifies organisms that exhibit exceptional swiftness in movement for hunting, escape, or travel.
Pollinator
Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants.
Also known as
No aliases listed yet.
Collections
Safety
Danger
1/5 · Very low
Be gentle and quiet when watching dragonflies so you don't scare them away.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to identify Aztec Dancer?
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 Aztec Dancer's wingspan?
40-55 mm
How big is Aztec Dancer?
30-38 mm
How long does Aztec Dancer live?
30-60 days
How fast can Aztec Dancer fly?
10 km/h
What does Aztec Dancer eat?
Tiny flying insects are on the menu for this speedy hunter, keeping mosquito populations in check!
Where is Aztec Dancer usually found?
Wetlands
How does Aztec Dancer hunt?
Pursuit
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