# Migrant Hawker (*Aeshna mixta*) The Migrant Hawker is a colorful dragonfly that loves to fly around ponds and wetlands. With its bright blue and green colors, it is a beautiful sight to see as it zooms through the air. - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![Migrant Hawker](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/2013.08.23.-10-Kirschgartshaeuser_Schlaege-Mannheim--Herbst-Mosaikjungfer-Maennchen_im_Flug.jpg&width=800) Photo: Andreas Eichler, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2013.08.23.-10-Kirschgartshaeuser_Schlaege-Mannheim--Herbst-Mosaikjungfer-Maennchen_im_Flug.jpg) ## Appearance The Migrant Hawker is a medium-sized dragonfly with a brown body. Males have blue spots along their abdomen, while females exhibit yellow markings. Look for a distinctive yellow 'golf club' shaped stripe on the side of their thorax, a key identifier. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Odonata - **Family:** Aeshnidae - **Genus:** Aeshna ## Interesting facts - Dragonflies spend most of their lives underwater as fierce nymph predators! - Migrant Hawkers can fly thousands of kilometers, even across seas, to find new homes! - They sometimes perform a special "mating wheel" in the air while flying together! - This dragonfly can catch and eat its prey in mid-air without ever landing! ## Special abilities - **Super Sight:** Migrant Hawker has enormous compound eyes that provide almost 360-degree vision, helping it spot tiny prey and predators instantly. - **Flight Master:** Migrant Hawker can hover, fly backwards, and dart at high speeds because its four wings move independently, allowing amazing acrobatics. - **Instant Heater:** Migrant Hawker can shiver its wing muscles rapidly to quickly warm its body, which helps it fly even on cooler days. ## Measurements & details - **Wingspan:** 70-80 mm - **Size:** 55-65 mm - **Lifespan:** 30-90 days - **Flight Speed:** 45 km/h - **Leg Count:** 6 ## Diet & Feeding Migrant Hawkers are fierce aerial hunters who gobble up other insects right out of the air! - **Age differences:** Larvae hunt aquatic insects and tadpoles underwater; adults catch flying prey in the air. - **Primary Foods:** Mosquitoes, Midges, Flies, Small butterflies, Other small insects - **Foraging Method:** Pursuit ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** Common Kestrel (*Falco tinnunculus*) — Kestrels are swift hunters that snatch adult dragonflies from the air. - **Eaten by:** [European Perch](https://www.snappit.app/explore/european-perch) (*Perca fluviatilis*) — Perch fish prey on Migrant Hawker nymphs living underwater. - **Hunts:** Common House Mosquito (*Culex pipiens*) — Migrant Hawkers are expert at catching adult mosquitoes in flight. - **Hunts:** House Fly (*Musca domestica*) — They actively pursue and capture common house flies for food. ## 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. - [Speedster](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/speedster): This trait identifies organisms that exhibit exceptional swiftness in movement for hunting, escape, or travel. - [Migratory](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/migratory): Migratory animals undertake seasonal movements from one region to another, typically in response to changes in climate or food availability. - [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 friendly and won't hurt you, but it's best to watch them from a distance. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Migrant Hawker? 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 Migrant Hawker's wingspan? 70-80 mm ### How big is Migrant Hawker? 55-65 mm ### How long does Migrant Hawker live? 30-90 days ### How fast can Migrant Hawker fly? 45 km/h ### What does Migrant Hawker eat? Migrant Hawkers are fierce aerial hunters who gobble up other insects right out of the air! ### Where is Migrant Hawker usually found? Wetlands ### How does Migrant Hawker hunt? Pursuit ## Where to spot - [Bergedorfer Schlosspark (Hamburg)](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bergedorfer-schlosspark-hamburg) — Hamburg, DE · Park ## 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: [Migrant Hawker: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/migrant-hawker)