Eastern Amberwing

Perithemis tenera

The Eastern Amberwing is a small dragonfly with bright orange wings. They love to flutter around ponds and wetlands, showing off their beautiful colors in the sunlight.

Habitat: Wetlands

Appearance

The Eastern Amberwing male has striking, entirely amber-orange wings and a reddish-orange body. Females possess clear wings with amber patches at the base and a brown spot near the tip, alongside a yellowish body. Its distinct wing coloration makes it easily identifiable near water.

KingdomAnimaliaPhylumArthropodaClassInsectaOrderOdonataFamilyLibellulidaeGenusPerithemis

Eastern Amberwing

Interesting facts

Its babies live underwater for up to a year, breathing with gills!

Males sometimes pretend to be females to sneak past other dominant males!

The female Eastern Amberwing lays her tiny eggs by simply tapping the water!

These small dragonflies can fly backward, sideways, or even hover perfectly still!

Special abilities

Eastern Amberwings can spot tiny flying prey from a distance because of their large, multifaceted compound eyes.

Eastern Amberwings can fly in any direction, including backward, because of their independently operating four wings that help them dodge.

The Eastern Amberwing can warm up quickly by basking in the sun because of its dark body and broad wings that absorb heat.

Eastern Amberwing larvae can breathe underwater because of specialized gills, allowing them to live hidden in aquatic environments.

Measurements & details

Wingspan: 40-50 mm
Size: 19-28 mm
Lifespan: 28-42 days
Flight Speed: 18 km/h
Leg Count: 6

Diet & Feeding

As an adult, this dragonfly is an insectivore, expertly catching small flying insects like mosquitoes and flies.

Age differences: Nymphs hunt aquatic invertebrates and larvae, while adults exclusively prey on flying insects.

Primary Foods

mosquitos
gnats
midges
small flies

Foraging Method

Pursuit

Ecological connections

hunts

Yellow Fever Mosquito

Aedes aegypti

eats these common blood-feeding insects

hunts

House Fly

Musca domestica

captures and consumes these flying insects

eaten by

American Bullfrog

Rana catesbeiana

adults can be prey for larger amphibians

eaten by

Common Green Darner

Anax junius

larger dragonflies may prey on them

Traits

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.

Pollinator Magnet

Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms.

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.