Nomad

Sympetrum fonscolombii

The Nomad Dragonfly is a colorful insect that loves to fly around water. It has big, beautiful wings and can be seen darting through the air on sunny days.

Habitat: Wetlands

Appearance

The Nomad has a slender body, with males boasting a striking bright red abdomen and a face with red markings. Its clear wings feature reddish veins and a distinctive orange-yellow patch at the base, making it stand out.

KingdomAnimaliaPhylumArthropodaClassInsectaOrderOdonataFamilyLibellulidaeGenusSympetrum

Nomad

Interesting facts

A single Nomad can gobble up hundreds of annoying mosquitoes and flies every day!

Dragonflies have been zipping around Earth since before dinosaurs roamed!

Their enormous eyes cover most of their head, seeing the world in thousands of tiny pictures!

They can fly backwards and even hover perfectly still, like a tiny helicopter!

Special abilities

Nomad can fly across continents because it has strong, efficient wings, helping them find new breeding grounds.

Nomad has huge compound eyes that let it see almost 360 degrees around, helping them spot tiny prey from far away.

Nomad can hover, fly backwards, and make sharp turns mid-air because each wing moves independently, helping it catch fast-moving insects.

Measurements & details

Wingspan: 50-60 mm
Size: 30-40 mm
Lifespan: 30-90 days
Flight Speed: 30 km/h
Leg Count: 6

Diet & Feeding

The Nomad is a fierce aerial hunter, gobbling up other insects it catches mid-flight.

Age differences: Nymphs hunt aquatic invertebrates like tadpoles; adults hunt flying insects.

Primary Foods

mosquitoes
midges
flies
gnats
small moths

Foraging Method

Pursuit

Ecological connections

hunts

Common Mosquito

Culex pipiens

Adults prey on this common pest.

eaten by

Common Frog

Rana temporaria

Frogs ambush adult dragonflies near water.

eaten by

Mallard

Anas platyrhynchos

Ducks may eat nymphs or adults near ponds.

parasitizes

Globular Water Mite

Arrenurus globator

Mite larvae attach to nymphs, feeding on them.

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.