# Northern Spreadwing (*Lestes disjunctus*) The Northern Spreadwing is a beautiful dragonfly that loves to flutter around ponds and wetlands. With its long body and delicate wings, it can often be seen resting on leaves or flying gracefully over the water. - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![Northern Spreadwing](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Common_Spreadwing%252C_Lestes_disjunctus_%283714906671%29.jpg&width=800) Photo: Greg Schechter from San Francisco, USA, CC BY 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Common_Spreadwing%252C_Lestes_disjunctus_%283714906671%29.jpg) ## Appearance The Northern Spreadwing is a slender damselfly, often displaying metallic green, bronze, or bluish hues on its body. Its clear wings are distinctively held wide apart when resting, a key feature differentiating it from most other damselflies. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Odonata - **Family:** Lestidae - **Genus:** Lestes ## Interesting facts - Some damselflies can change their body color based on temperature or age! - Their eyes have thousands of tiny lenses for spotting the smallest prey! - Their young live underwater for months, completely hidden from sight! - They hold wings wide open when resting, giving them their 'spreadwing' name! ## Special abilities - **Spreadwing Stance:** Northern Spreadwing can hold its wings wide open even at rest, which helps it warm up faster by soaking in the sun's rays. - **Underwater Breather:** Northern Spreadwing nymphs have special gills that allow them to breathe underwater, helping them stay hidden from predators. - **Hover Hunt:** Northern Spreadwing can hover and dart quickly in the air, allowing it to expertly catch tiny flying insects mid-flight. ## Measurements & details - **Wingspan:** 40-55 mm - **Size:** 30-40 mm - **Lifespan:** 30-60 days - **Leg Count:** 6 ## Diet & Feeding These swift hunters keep insect populations in check, eating many small flying bugs! - **Age differences:** Nymphs eat aquatic invertebrates like mosquito larvae; adults eat flying insects. - **Primary Foods:** mosquitoes, gnats, midges, small flies, aphids - **Foraging Method:** Pursuit ## Ecological connections - **Hunts:** Mosquito (*Culex pipiens*) — Keeps mosquito populations balanced in wetlands. - **Eaten by:** [Eastern Phoebe](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-phoebe) (*Sayornis phoebe*) — An important food source for insect-eating birds. - **Eaten by:** [Green Frog](https://www.snappit.app/explore/green-frog) (*Lithobates clamitans*) — Adults can become a meal for hungry amphibians. ## 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. - [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 Watch these insects from a distance and don't try to catch them, as they are delicate. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Northern Spreadwing? 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 Northern Spreadwing's wingspan? 40-55 mm ### How big is Northern Spreadwing? 30-40 mm ### How long does Northern Spreadwing live? 30-60 days ### What does Northern Spreadwing eat? These swift hunters keep insect populations in check, eating many small flying bugs! ### Where is Northern Spreadwing usually found? Wetlands ### How does Northern Spreadwing hunt? Pursuit ### How many legs does Northern Spreadwing have? 6 ## 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: [Northern Spreadwing: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/northern-spreadwing)