# Fragile Forktail (*Ischnura posita*) The Fragile Forktail is a tiny dragonfly that loves to flutter around ponds and streams. With its delicate wings and bright colors, it’s a beautiful sight to see as it dances in the air. - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 62 - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![Fragile Forktail](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Ischnura_posita.jpg&width=800) Photo: Cody Hough, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ischnura_posita.jpg) ## Appearance The Fragile Forktail is a tiny damselfly, usually sporting a slender black body with bright blue or green markings. It features a distinctive 'forked' tail-tip in males, which helps differentiate it from similar small damselflies. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Odonata - **Family:** Coenagrionidae - **Genus:** Ischnura ## Interesting facts - Male Fragile Forktails have a unique 'fork' or 'exclamation mark' shape on their tail! - Their babies, called nymphs, live entirely underwater and breathe with gills! - They often rest with their wings folded together over their back, unlike true dragonflies! - They spend most of their lives as nymphs, only flying as adults for a few short weeks! ## Special abilities - **Super Sight:** Fragile Forktail has huge compound eyes that help them spot tiny flying prey from many directions at once. - **Hover & Dart:** Fragile Forktail can hover and dart quickly in mid-air because of its four independently moving wings, helping it catch fast-moving insects. - **Tiny Disguise:** Fragile Forktail has a slender body and muted colors that help it blend into waterside plants, surprising unsuspecting prey. - **Underwater Hunter:** Fragile Forktail larvae can breathe underwater using special gills, helping them hunt other small water creatures before becoming adults. ## Measurements & details - **Wingspan:** 25-35 mm - **Size:** 18-28 mm - **Lifespan:** 20-60 days - **Flight Speed:** 5-10 km/h - **Leg Count:** 6 ## Diet & Feeding This tiny hunter loves to eat even tinier flying insects, keeping the air clear! - **Age differences:** Nymphs hunt aquatic insects, while adults catch flying bugs in the air. - **Primary Foods:** mosquitoes, gnats, midges, small flies, aphids - **Foraging Method:** Pursuit ## Ecological connections - **Hunts:** Common House Mosquito (*Culex pipiens*) — Adults help control mosquito populations. - **Eaten by:** [American Bullfrog](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-bullfrog) (*Rana catesbeiana*) — Adults and nymphs are a snack for frogs. - **Eaten by:** [Common Green Darner](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-green-darner) (*Anax junius*) — Larger dragonflies sometimes prey on them. - **Depends on:** Common Cattail (*Typha latifolia*) — Nymphs hide among the roots and stems of aquatic plants. ## 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 Fragile 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 Fragile Forktail's wingspan? 25-35 mm ### How big is Fragile Forktail? 18-28 mm ### How long does Fragile Forktail live? 20-60 days ### How fast can Fragile Forktail fly? 5-10 km/h ### What does Fragile Forktail eat? This tiny hunter loves to eat even tinier flying insects, keeping the air clear! ### Where is Fragile Forktail usually found? Wetlands ### How does Fragile Forktail hunt? Pursuit ## Where to spot - [Chadwick Arboretum](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/chadwick-arboretum) — Ohio, US · Botanical Garden - [Concord](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/concord) — Tennessee, US · Neighborhood - [Conestee Nature Preserve](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/conestee-nature-preserve) — South Carolina, US · Nature Reserve - [Fairlie-Poplar](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/fairlie-poplar) — Georgia, US · Neighborhood - [Greenfield Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/greenfield-park) — Wisconsin, US · Park - [Louisiana Purchase State Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/louisiana-purchase-state-park) — Arkansas, US · State Park [View all places to see Fragile Forktail](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/fragile-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: [Fragile Forktail: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/fragile-forktail)