Eastern Forktail

Ischnura verticalis

The Eastern Forktail is a small dragonfly with bright colors. They love to fly around water and are often seen resting on plants. These little insects are fun to watch as they dart and hover in the air!

Habitat: Wetlands

Appearance

The Eastern Forktail is a slender damselfly, typically bright blue with distinct black markings along its body. Its long, clear wings extend from its thorax. Males have a unique 'forked' appearance at the tip of their abdomen, helping distinguish them from similar damselflies.

KingdomAnimaliaPhylumArthropodaClassInsectaOrderOdonataFamilyCoenagrionidaeGenusIschnura

Eastern Forktail

Interesting facts

Adult Eastern Forktails live only a few weeks, but their whole life cycle can take over a year!

An Eastern Forktail's huge eyes have thousands of tiny lenses, giving them incredible vision for hunting.

Their larval stage, called a nymph, can live underwater for months before becoming an adult!

They are expert aerial hunters, snatching mosquitoes and tiny flies right out of the air with their legs!

Special abilities

Eastern Forktail can zip and hover with super-fast wing beats, allowing them to dodge predators and catch flying snacks mid-air.

Eastern Forktail has huge compound eyes that see in almost every direction at once, helping them spot tiny prey and danger.

Eastern Forktail nymphs can breathe underwater using special gills, helping them survive and hunt beneath the surface.

Eastern Forktail males have special hooks on their abdomen for holding the female, ensuring successful reproduction.

Measurements & details

Wingspan: 25-35 mm
Size: 23-30 mm
Lifespan: 20-60 days
Flight Speed: 5 km/h
Leg Count: 6

Diet & Feeding

These speedy hunters love to eat other small flying insects, keeping bug populations in check!

Age differences: Nymphs hunt aquatic invertebrates like mosquito larvae and tadpoles, while adults hunt flying insects.

Primary Foods

mosquitoes
gnats
midges
small flies
aphids

Foraging Method

Pursuit

Ecological connections

eaten by

Green Frog

Rana clamitans

Adults often fall prey to hungry frogs near water.

hunts

Common House Mosquito

Culex pipiens

They actively hunt and eat mosquito adults, helping control pests.

eaten by

Northern Pike

Esox lucius

Nymphs can be eaten by fish like pike in their watery homes.

hunts

Non-biting Midge

Chironomus plumosus

Eastern Forktails snatch up these small flying insects as a tasty meal.

eaten by

Great Blue Skimmer

Libellula vibrans

Larger dragonflies sometimes prey on smaller damselflies.

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.