Hairy Dragonfly

Brachytron pratense

The Hairy Dragonfly is a beautiful insect with big, colorful wings. It loves to fly around ponds and lakes, catching small bugs to eat. Watch it zoom and dart through the air!

Habitat: Wetlands

Appearance

The Hairy Dragonfly is a medium-sized insect with a notably fuzzy, yellowish-brown body that gives it its name. Its abdomen has distinct yellow and black markings, and its four clear wings often have a slight amber tint near the base. Unlike many other dragonflies, its hairy thorax is a key distinguishing feature.

KingdomAnimaliaPhylumArthropodaClassInsectaOrderOdonataFamilyAeshnidaeGenusBrachytron

Hairy Dragonfly

Interesting facts

Baby Hairy Dragonflies live underwater for 2-3 years before they transform into flying adults!

Hairy Dragonflies are one of the first dragonflies you'll spot in spring, even in cooler weather!

Their huge eyes have tens of thousands of lenses, giving them super sharp, almost 360-degree vision!

These speedy hunters can catch mosquitoes and other flies right out of the air while zooming!

Special abilities

Hairy Dragonflies have a fuzzy body that helps them stay warm enough to fly quickly, even on cooler days, making them active earlier than others.

Hairy Dragonfly larvae can blend into underwater plants, hiding from prey and predators with their camouflaged bodies and stealthy movements.

Hairy Dragonflies can hover, fly backward, and change direction instantly thanks to their four powerful wings that move independently.

Measurements & details

Wingspan: 70-80 mm
Size: 55-60 mm
Lifespan: 730-1095 days
Flight Speed: 25 km/h
Leg Count: 6

Diet & Feeding

These swift hunters eat other insects, catching them mid-flight or snatching them from plants.

Age differences: Larvae are aquatic predators, eating small invertebrates; adults hunt flying insects.

Primary Foods

mosquitoes
midges
flies
gnats
small moths

Foraging Method

Pursuit

Ecological connections

hunts

Common House Mosquito

Culex pipiens

Adults expertly snatch them mid-air.

eaten by

Common Kingfisher

Alcedo atthis

Larvae and adults are prey for birds.

eaten by

European Perch

Perca fluviatilis

Larvae are a food source for fish.

hunts

Common Midge

Chironomus plumosus

Adults eat these small flying insects.

Traits

Furry

Furry describes animals possessing a dense covering of soft hair or fur.

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.