Dragonhunter

Hagenius brevistylus

The Dragonhunter is a special dragonfly that loves to fly around water. It has beautiful wings and is known for its amazing speed and agility as it catches other insects in the air.

Habitat: Wetlands

Appearance

The Dragonhunter is a large, striking dragonfly with a black body marked boldly with yellow stripes and spots. Its clear wings have dark brown leading edges, and males feature a distinctive, club-shaped abdomen, making them easily identifiable among other dragonflies.

KingdomAnimaliaPhylumArthropodaClassInsectaOrderOdonataFamilyGomphidaeGenusHagenius

Dragonhunter

Interesting facts

An adult Dragonhunter can eat hundreds of pesky mosquitoes and flies daily!

Dragonflies were among the very first winged insects to evolve on Earth!

Dragonhunter nymphs live underwater for years before becoming flying adults!

They get their name by actually preying on other large, flying dragonflies!

Special abilities

Dragonhunter can see prey from almost any direction because of their huge, multi-faceted compound eyes that cover most of their head.

Dragonhunter can dart, hover, and fly backwards due to four powerful, independently moving wings, making them expert aerial hunters.

Dragonhunter has spiny legs that form a basket, allowing them to scoop and hold insects right out of the air while flying.

Dragonhunter larvae can breathe underwater using internal gills and ambush prey with an extendable jaw, surviving for years as nymphs.

Measurements & details

Wingspan: 100-130 mm
Size: 70-85 mm
Lifespan: 730-1825 days
Flight Speed: 35-58 km/h
Leg Count: 6

Diet & Feeding

Dragonhunters are ferocious insect hunters, eating many flying bugs and even other dragonflies!

Age differences: Nymphs eat aquatic invertebrates and small fish; adults eat flying insects.

Primary Foods

Mosquitos
Flies
Moths
Other dragonflies
Damselflies
Butterflies

Foraging Method

Pursuit

Ecological connections

hunts

Common Green Darner

Anax junius

Dragonhunters are known to hunt other large dragonflies.

hunts

Common House Mosquito

Culex pipiens

Adult Dragonhunters consume numerous mosquitoes, helping control their populations.

eats

Bluegill

Lepomis macrochirus

Fish like bluegills prey on Dragonhunter nymphs in aquatic environments.

eats

Eastern Kingbird

Tyrannus tyrannus

Birds, such as kingbirds, are predators of adult Dragonhunters.

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.