# Great Pondhawk (*Erythemis vesiculosa*) The Great Pondhawk is a bright green dragonfly that loves to fly around ponds and lakes. It has big, beautiful wings and is a great hunter of other insects! - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![Great Pondhawk](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Erythemis_vesiculosa.jpg&width=800) Photo: leppyone, CC BY 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Erythemis_vesiculosa.jpg) ## Appearance The Great Pondhawk has a robust body, often bright green or blue in males, while females are typically reddish-brown. Its transparent wings have dark veins and a small, distinct dark spot (pterostigma) near the tip, helping it stand out from smaller damselflies and damselflies. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Odonata - **Family:** Libellulidae - **Genus:** Erythemis ## Interesting facts - Ancient dragonflies were giant, with wingspans as big as a hawk's! - Before they fly, they live for months underwater as fierce, masked hunters! - Great Pondhawks eat thousands of pesky mosquitoes every single day! - Some Great Pondhawks fly across oceans, migrating thousands of kilometers! ## Special abilities - **Super Sight:** Great Pondhawk has huge compound eyes that provide almost 360-degree vision, helping them spot prey and avoid danger. - **Aerial Acrobatics:** Great Pondhawk can quickly change direction, hover, and even fly backward, because of four independently moving wings. - **Hunter's Mask:** Great Pondhawk nymphs have a hinged lower jaw that extends out to grab prey, helping them hunt underwater. ## Measurements & details - **Wingspan:** 60-90 mm - **Size:** 40-55 mm - **Lifespan:** 200-700 days - **Flight Speed:** 30 km/h - **Leg Count:** 6 ## Diet & Feeding This speedy hunter eats many kinds of flying insects! - **Age differences:** Nymphs hunt aquatic insects, tadpoles, and small fish underwater using their hinged jaw. - **Primary Foods:** Mosquitoes, Flies, Gnats, Moths, Smaller dragonflies - **Foraging Method:** Pursuit ## Ecological connections - **Hunts:** Common Mosquito (*Culex pipiens*) — Reduces mosquito populations. - **Eaten by:** [Eastern Kingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-kingbird) (*Tyrannus tyrannus*) — An important food source for birds. - **Eaten by:** [Largemouth Bass](https://www.snappit.app/explore/largemouth-bass) (*Micropterus salmoides*) — Bass prey on dragonflies during their nymph stage. - **Hunts:** [Fragile Forktail](https://www.snappit.app/explore/fragile-forktail) (*Ischnura posita*) — Preys on smaller damselflies. ## Traits - [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care. - [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. - [Carnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/carnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue. - [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. - [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 Dragonflies are harmless, but it's best to watch them from a distance. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Great Pondhawk? 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 Great Pondhawk's wingspan? 60-90 mm ### How big is Great Pondhawk? 40-55 mm ### How long does Great Pondhawk live? 200-700 days ### How fast can Great Pondhawk fly? 30 km/h ### What does Great Pondhawk eat? This speedy hunter eats many kinds of flying insects! ### Where is Great Pondhawk usually found? Wetlands ### How does Great Pondhawk hunt? Pursuit ## 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: [Great Pondhawk: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-pondhawk)