Emerald Spreadwing

Lestes dryas

The Emerald Spreadwing is a beautiful dragonfly with bright green wings. It loves to flutter around wetlands and ponds, showing off its shiny colors to everyone nearby.

Habitat: Wetlands

Appearance

The Emerald Spreadwing has a vibrant metallic green body that shines in the sunlight, often with pale yellow stripes on its sides. Its clear wings are held spread out and angled back when resting, making it look different from many other damselflies that fold their wings over their backs.

KingdomAnimaliaPhylumArthropodaClassInsectaOrderOdonataFamilyLestidaeGenusLestes

Emerald Spreadwing

Interesting facts

Their babies live underwater for years, breathing with special tail gills!

These insects use spiky legs like a basket to scoop up flying snacks in mid-air!

They lay their tiny eggs right inside plant stems, often under the water!

When resting, Emerald Spreadwings hold their wings wide open, unlike most other damselflies!

Special abilities

Emerald Spreadwing can hold its wings open at rest because this posture helps them warm up faster in the sun.

Emerald Spreadwing has gills on its tail as a nymph that helps them breathe and hunt aquatic prey underwater for years.

Emerald Spreadwing can catch tiny flying insects in mid-air because its agile flight allows for precise, quick maneuvers.

Measurements & details

Wingspan: 40-55 mm
Size: 35-45 mm
Lifespan: 15-60 days
Leg Count: 6

Diet & Feeding

Hungry hunters, Emerald Spreadwings mostly eat small insects, both as adults and as aquatic nymphs!

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

Primary Foods

Mosquitoes
Midges
Small flies
Gnats
Aphids

Foraging Method

Pursuit

Ecological connections

hunts

Yellow Fever Mosquito

Aedes aegypti

Helps control mosquito populations.

eaten by

American Bullfrog

Rana catesbeiana

Frogs often feast on adult damselflies.

eats

Northern Pike

Esox lucius

Large fish consume aquatic nymphs.

Traits

Solitary

Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care.

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.