Carolina Saddlebags

Tramea carolina

The Carolina Saddlebags is a colorful dragonfly that loves to fly around ponds and lakes. With its bright colors and unique shape, it is a fun insect to spot while exploring nature!

Habitat: Wetlands

Appearance

The Carolina Saddlebags has a reddish-brown or yellowish body with distinctive large, dark brown 'saddlebag' patches at the base of its hind wings. Males typically have a bright red abdomen, while females are yellowish or brownish, making them easily distinguishable from other dragonflies.

KingdomAnimaliaPhylumArthropodaClassInsectaOrderOdonataFamilyLibellulidaeGenusTramea

Carolina Saddlebags

Interesting facts

As a baby, it breathes underwater using gills inside its rear end!

Dragonflies are ancient, flying the skies even before dinosaurs roamed Earth!

Each of their four wings can move separately, like tiny independent helicopter rotors!

Some Carolina Saddlebags migrate thousands of miles like tiny, jewel-toned airplanes!

Special abilities

Carolina Saddlebags has enormous compound eyes that give them nearly 360-degree vision, helping them spot prey and avoid predators.

Carolina Saddlebags can fly forwards, backward, and hover, using independently controlled wings for incredible aerial agility.

Carolina Saddlebags nymphs are fierce underwater predators, catching other insects and even small fish with their extendable jaws.

Measurements & details

Wingspan: 70-120 mm
Size: 45-60 mm
Lifespan: 30-90 days
Flight Speed: 45 km/h
Leg Count: 6

Diet & Feeding

A speedy air hunter, the Carolina Saddlebags eats flying insects with incredible agility.

Age differences: Young dragonflies (nymphs) live underwater and eat aquatic insects and small tadpoles; adults hunt flying insects.

Primary Foods

mosquitoes
gnats
flies
small moths
butterflies
damselflies

Foraging Method

Pursuit

Ecological connections

hunts

Common House Mosquito

Culex pipiens

Adults catch flying mosquitoes in mid-air.

eaten by

American Bullfrog

Lithobates catesbeianus

Adult dragonflies can be snatched by hungry frogs.

eaten by

Largemouth Bass

Micropterus salmoides

Larval nymphs are prey for this fish.

eaten by

Tree Swallow

Tachycineta bicolor

Birds can capture adult dragonflies during flight.

Traits

Solitary

Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care.

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.

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.