# Common Whitetail (*Plathemis lydia*) The Common Whitetail is a beautiful dragonfly with white patches on its wings. It loves to fly around ponds and sunny spots, making it a fun sight to see! - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 184 - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![Common Whitetail](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Common_whitetail.jpg&width=800) Photo: Bruce Marlin, CC BY-SA 2.5 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Common_whitetail.jpg) ## Appearance The Common Whitetail is a medium-sized dragonfly with a robust body. Males have a broad, chalky-white abdomen and dark patches at the base and middle of their clear wings. Females are yellowish-brown with a row of triangular spots along the abdomen and similar wing markings. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Odonata - **Family:** Libellulidae - **Genus:** Plathemis ## Interesting facts - A single Common Whitetail can eat hundreds of mosquitoes every single day! - Baby Common Whitetails can live underwater for several years before they fly! - Dragonflies have been zipping around Earth for over 300 million years! - They hold their six spiky legs like a basket to scoop up prey right out of the air! ## Special abilities - **Eagle Eyes:** Common Whitetail has enormous compound eyes that help them spot tiny flying insects in almost every direction while hunting. - **Aerial Acrobatics:** Common Whitetail can fly straight up, backward, or hover perfectly still because of their two pairs of independently moving wings. - **Underwater Ambusher:** Common Whitetail larvae have a special hinged jaw that shoots out to grab and catch prey underwater very quickly. ## Measurements & details - **Wingspan:** 70-80 mm - **Size:** 39-50 mm - **Lifespan:** 30-60 days - **Flight Speed:** 45 km/h - **Leg Count:** 6 ## Diet & Feeding Common Whitetails are fierce insect hunters, eating many different kinds of small flying insects. - **Age differences:** Larvae (naiads) eat aquatic insects, tadpoles, and small fish, while adults only eat flying insects. - **Primary Foods:** mosquitos, flies, gnats, midges, small moths - **Foraging Method:** Pursuit ## Ecological connections - **Hunts:** [Yellow Fever Mosquito](https://www.snappit.app/explore/yellow-fever-mosquito) (*Aedes aegypti*) — Adults prey on this mosquito species. - **Hunts:** [Common Green Darner](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-green-darner) (*Anax junius*) — Larger dragonflies occasionally prey on smaller ones. - **Eaten by:** [Eastern Kingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-kingbird) (*Tyrannus tyrannus*) — Adult dragonflies are a food source for these birds. - **Eaten by:** [Bluegill](https://www.snappit.app/explore/bluegill) (*Lepomis macrochirus*) — Fish prey on Common Whitetail larvae underwater. ## 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 Common Whitetail? 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 Common Whitetail's wingspan? 70-80 mm ### How big is Common Whitetail? 39-50 mm ### How long does Common Whitetail live? 30-60 days ### How fast can Common Whitetail fly? 45 km/h ### What does Common Whitetail eat? Common Whitetails are fierce insect hunters, eating many different kinds of small flying insects. ### Where is Common Whitetail usually found? Wetlands ### How does Common Whitetail hunt? Pursuit ## Where to spot - [Advance Mills](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/advance-mills) — Virginia, US · Neighborhood - [Algonquin Provincial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/algonquin-provincial-park) — Ontario, CA · State Park - [Battle Creek Cypress Swamp Sanctuary](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/battle-creek-cypress-swamp-sanctuary) — Maryland, US · Nature Reserve - [Boerner Botanical Gardens](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/boerner-botanical-gardens) — Wisconsin, US · Botanical Garden - [Brattleboro Downtown Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/brattleboro-downtown-historic-district) — Vermont, US · Historic District - [Broadway-Armory Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/broadway-armory-historic-district) — Rhode Island, US · Historic District [View all places to see Common Whitetail](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/common-whitetail) ## 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: [Common Whitetail: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-whitetail)