# 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! - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 70 - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![Eastern Forktail](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Eastern_Forktail_%28Ischnura_verticalis%29%252C_Female_01.jpg&width=800) Photo: Ryan Hodnett, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Eastern_Forktail_%28Ischnura_verticalis%29%252C_Female_01.jpg) ## 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. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Odonata - **Family:** Coenagrionidae - **Genus:** Ischnura ## 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 - **Aerobatic Navigator:** Eastern Forktail can zip and hover with super-fast wing beats, allowing them to dodge predators and catch flying snacks mid-air. - **360-Degree Vision:** Eastern Forktail has huge compound eyes that see in almost every direction at once, helping them spot tiny prey and danger. - **Underwater Breath:** Eastern Forktail nymphs can breathe underwater using special gills, helping them survive and hunt beneath the surface. - **Mating Hooks:** 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](https://www.snappit.app/explore/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](https://www.snappit.app/explore/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](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-blue-skimmer) (*Libellula vibrans*) — Larger dragonflies sometimes prey on smaller damselflies. ## Traits - [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. - [Miniature](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/miniature): Pertaining to species that are significantly smaller than typical or average for their kind. - [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 Be gentle and quiet when watching dragonflies so you don't scare them away. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Eastern Forktail? 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 Eastern Forktail's wingspan? 25-35 mm ### How big is Eastern Forktail? 23-30 mm ### How long does Eastern Forktail live? 20-60 days ### How fast can Eastern Forktail fly? 5 km/h ### What does Eastern Forktail eat? These speedy hunters love to eat other small flying insects, keeping bug populations in check! ### Where is Eastern Forktail usually found? Wetlands ### How does Eastern Forktail hunt? Pursuit ## Where to spot - [Barrington Civic Center Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/barrington-civic-center-historic-district) — Rhode Island, US · Historic District - [Bartholomew's Cobble](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bartholomews-cobble) — Massachusetts, US · Nature Reserve - [Boerner Botanical Gardens](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/boerner-botanical-gardens) — Wisconsin, US · Botanical Garden - [Broadway Avenue Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/broadway-avenue-historic-district) — Michigan, US · Historic District - [Chadwick Arboretum](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/chadwick-arboretum) — Ohio, US · Botanical Garden - [Dayville Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/dayville-historic-district) — Connecticut, US · Historic District [View all places to see Eastern Forktail](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/eastern-forktail) ## 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: [Eastern Forktail: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-forktail)