# Dot-tailed Whiteface (*Leucorrhinia intacta*) The Dot-tailed Whiteface is a beautiful dragonfly with a special dot on its tail. It loves to fly around ponds and wetlands, catching tiny bugs to eat. Watch it zoom and dart in the sunshine! - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 18 - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![Dot-tailed Whiteface](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Dot-tailed-whiteface-jf.jpg&width=800) Photo: Raphael Carter, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dot-tailed-whiteface-jf.jpg) ## Appearance The Dot-tailed Whiteface is a small, dark dragonfly, often appearing blackish. Males have a distinctive white face and a prominent yellow or white spot at the very end of their abdomen, which gives them their name. Their wings are clear with dark veins. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Odonata - **Family:** Libellulidae - **Genus:** Leucorrhinia ## Interesting facts - After emerging, they shed their skin one last time, leaving behind a ghost-like shell! - Baby Dot-tailed Whitefaces, called nymphs, live underwater for years before they become flying adults! - Their amazing eyes have up to 30,000 tiny lenses, seeing in almost every direction! - They are ancient insects, flying since before dinosaurs walked the Earth! ## Special abilities - **Supersonic Vision:** Dot-tailed Whiteface has enormous compound eyes that give it nearly 360-degree vision, helping them spot prey or predators instantly. - **Aerial Acrobatics:** Dot-tailed Whiteface can fly forwards, backwards, and hover because its four wings move independently, allowing for incredible mid-air maneuvers. - **Hunting Basket Legs:** Dot-tailed Whiteface has spiky legs it uses to form a 'basket' that helps them scoop flying insects right out of the air. - **Underwater Hunter (Nymph):** Dot-tailed Whiteface nymphs can breathe underwater and are fierce hunters because of specialized gills and extendable jaws. ## Measurements & details - **Wingspan:** 50-60 mm - **Size:** 33-40 mm - **Lifespan:** 30-60 days - **Flight Speed:** 35 km/h - **Leg Count:** 6 ## Diet & Feeding These fierce hunters eat other flying insects, catching them in mid-air! - **Age differences:** Nymphs eat aquatic invertebrates and small fish, while adults hunt flying insects. - **Primary Foods:** mosquitoes, flies, midges, moths, smaller dragonflies - **Foraging Method:** Pursuit ## Ecological connections - **Hunts:** Common House Mosquito (*Culex pipiens*) — Eats adult mosquitoes, helping control populations. - **Hunts:** House Fly (*Musca domestica*) — Catches and eats flying house flies in mid-air. - **Eaten by:** [Eastern Kingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-kingbird) (*Tyrannus tyrannus*) — Adult dragonflies are prey for this agile bird. - **Eaten by:** [Largemouth Bass](https://www.snappit.app/explore/largemouth-bass) (*Micropterus salmoides*) — Dragonfly nymphs are a food source for these fish. ## Traits - [Spotted](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spotted): Marked with spots or patches of a different color. - [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 friendly and won't hurt you, but it's best to watch them from a distance. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Dot-tailed Whiteface? 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 Dot-tailed Whiteface's wingspan? 50-60 mm ### How big is Dot-tailed Whiteface? 33-40 mm ### How long does Dot-tailed Whiteface live? 30-60 days ### How fast can Dot-tailed Whiteface fly? 35 km/h ### What does Dot-tailed Whiteface eat? These fierce hunters eat other flying insects, catching them in mid-air! ### Where is Dot-tailed Whiteface usually found? Wetlands ### How does Dot-tailed Whiteface hunt? Pursuit ## Where to spot - [Days Ferry Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/days-ferry-historic-district) — US · Historic District - [Field Farm](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/field-farm) — Massachusetts, US · Nature Reserve - [Green Bay Botanical Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/green-bay-botanical-garden) — Wisconsin, US · Botanical Garden - [Harraseeket Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/harraseeket-historic-district) — Maine, US · Historic District - [Minnesota Landscape Arboretum](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/minnesota-landscape-arboretum) — Minnesota, US · Botanical Garden - [Parc de l'île Saint-Quentin](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/parc-de-l-le-saint-quentin) — Quebec, CA · Park [View all places to see Dot-tailed Whiteface](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/dot-tailed-whiteface) ## 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: [Dot-tailed Whiteface: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/dot-tailed-whiteface)