# Blue-fronted Dancer (*Argia apicalis*) The Blue-fronted Dancer is a beautiful dragonfly with bright blue colors. It loves to flutter around near water, showing off its lovely wings as it dances in the air. - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 17 - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![Blue-fronted Dancer](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Argia_apicalis.jpg&width=800) Photo: John B. from Highland Park, NJ, United States, CC BY 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Argia_apicalis.jpg) ## Appearance The Blue-fronted Dancer is a slender damselfly, predominantly black with striking bright blue markings on its head and the front of its thorax. Its wings are clear and transparent, and it has large, widely spaced eyes, characteristic of damselflies. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Odonata - **Family:** Coenagrionidae - **Genus:** Argia ## Interesting facts - Damselflies fold their wings back over their body when resting, unlike dragonflies! - The males often "dance" over water to find a mate, inspiring their name! - Their babies live underwater for months, breathing through gills in their tails! - They spend most of their life as aquatic hunters before growing wings! ## Special abilities - **Agile Aerial Hunter:** Blue-fronted Dancer can dart and hover effortlessly because of its two pairs of independently moving wings, helping them catch tiny insects mid-air. - **Super Sight:** Blue-fronted Dancer has large, compound eyes that cover most of its head, helping them spot prey and predators from many directions at once. - **Underwater Breath:** Blue-fronted Dancer nymphs can breathe underwater using special gills at their tail end, helping them survive and hunt beneath the surface. ## Measurements & details - **Wingspan:** 30-50 mm - **Size:** 30-38 mm - **Lifespan:** 30-90 days - **Flight Speed:** 10 km/h - **Leg Count:** 6 ## Diet & Feeding Tiny flying insects are their favorite snack, caught with lightning speed in the air! - **Age differences:** Nymphs hunt aquatic insects and larvae underwater, while adults hunt flying insects in the air. - **Primary Foods:** mosquitoes, gnats, small flies, midges, aphids - **Foraging Method:** Pursuit ## Ecological connections - **Hunts:** common house mosquito (*Culex pipiens*) — helps control mosquito populations - **Hunts:** non-biting midge (*Chironomus plumosus*) — eats these tiny flying insects - **Eaten by:** [American bullfrog](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-bullfrog) (*Lithobates catesbeianus*) — frogs prey on adult damselflies - **Eaten by:** [yellow perch](https://www.snappit.app/explore/yellow-perch) (*Perca flavescens*) — fish eat their aquatic young ## 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. - [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 Be careful around water where dragonflies live, and watch them from a distance. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Blue-fronted 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 Blue-fronted Dancer's wingspan? 30-50 mm ### How big is Blue-fronted Dancer? 30-38 mm ### How long does Blue-fronted Dancer live? 30-90 days ### How fast can Blue-fronted Dancer fly? 10 km/h ### What does Blue-fronted Dancer eat? Tiny flying insects are their favorite snack, caught with lightning speed in the air! ### Where is Blue-fronted Dancer usually found? Wetlands ### How does Blue-fronted Dancer hunt? Pursuit ## Where to spot - [Audubon Place Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/audubon-place-historic-district) — Alabama, US · Historic District - [Chatham Arch](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/chatham-arch) — Indiana, US · Neighborhood - [Dead Run Stream Valley Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/dead-run-stream-valley-park) — Virginia, US · Park - [Downtown Tuscaloosa Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/downtown-tuscaloosa-historic-district) — Alabama, US · Historic District - [Gorgas-Manly Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/gorgas-manly-historic-district) — Alabama, US · Campus - [Grand Caverns](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/grand-caverns) — Virginia, US · Natural Landmark [View all places to see Blue-fronted Dancer](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/blue-fronted-dancer) ## 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: [Blue-fronted Dancer: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-fronted-dancer)