Double-ringed Pennant

Celithemis verna

The Double-ringed Pennant is a colorful dragonfly with bright yellow and black markings. It loves to fly around ponds and marshes, showing off its beautiful wings.

Habitat: Wetlands

Appearance

The Double-ringed Pennant is a medium-sized dragonfly with a slender body. Males often display a vibrant reddish-orange body and distinct dark spots on each wing, appearing as 'double rings.' Females are typically a yellowish-brown, lacking the strong red coloration.

KingdomAnimaliaPhylumArthropodaClassInsectaOrderOdonataFamilyLibellulidaeGenusCelithemis

Double-ringed Pennant

Interesting facts

A dragonfly's huge eyes have thousands of tiny lenses, giving them incredible, almost 360-degree vision.

Dragonflies are ancient insects; their ancestors flew over 300 million years ago!

These dragonflies can fly backwards and sideways, not just forwards, making them amazing fliers!

They spend most of their life underwater as a predatory nymph before ever taking flight!

Special abilities

Double-ringed Pennant can hover perfectly in place because its four independent wings help them scan for prey.

Double-ringed Pennant has nearly 360-degree vision with enormous compound eyes that helps them detect tiny flying insects.

Double-ringed Pennant males develop vibrant red colors as they mature, helping them attract mates and define territory.

Measurements & details

Wingspan: 48-68 mm
Size: 32-45 mm
Lifespan: 14-42 days
Flight Speed: 20 km/h
Leg Count: 6

Diet & Feeding

This speedy dragonfly is an expert hunter, catching and eating other flying insects in mid-air!

Age differences: Nymphs hunt aquatic insects underwater, while adults hunt flying insects in the air.

Primary Foods

mosquitoes
gnats
flies
midges
small moths

Foraging Method

Pursuit

Ecological connections

eaten by

Eastern Kingbird

Tyrannus tyrannus

adults are a quick snack for some birds

eaten by

American Bullfrog

Lithobates catesbeianus

frogs often prey on resting dragonflies

hunts

Common House Mosquito

Culex pipiens

helps control mosquito populations

eaten by

Bluegill

Lepomis macrochirus

nymphs are hunted by fish underwater

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.

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.