# Pale Snaketail (*Ophiogomphus severus*) The Pale Snaketail is a unique dragonfly with a long, slender body and bright green eyes. It loves to fly around rivers and streams, making it a fun sight for nature lovers! - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![Pale Snaketail](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Ophiogomphus_severus_male.jpg&width=800) Photo: JerryFriedman, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ophiogomphus_severus_male.jpg) ## Appearance The Pale Snaketail has a robust body with distinct widely-separated green eyes. Its thorax and abdomen are primarily pale yellowish-green, marked with dark brown or black stripes, giving it a somewhat muted appearance compared to brighter dragonflies. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Odonata - **Family:** Gomphidae - **Genus:** Ophiogomphus ## Interesting facts - Adult snaketails spend most of their short lives searching for food and mates near water. - Baby snaketails (nymphs) have a special lower lip that shoots out to grab prey! - Their amazing aquatic larvae can live hidden underwater for several years before transforming! - Unlike many dragonflies, snaketails perch flat on the ground, blending perfectly with rocks! ## Special abilities - **Eagle Eyes:** Pale Snaketail has huge compound eyes that let it spot tiny prey from far away while flying. - **Supersonic Flight:** Pale Snaketail can dart and hover with powerful wings, allowing quick maneuvers to catch other flying insects. - **Underwater Breather:** Its nymphs breathe underwater using gills inside their rectum, letting them stay submerged and hidden. ## Measurements & details - **Wingspan:** 60-90 mm - **Size:** 40-55 mm - **Lifespan:** 15-60 days - **Flight Speed:** 35 km/h - **Leg Count:** 6 ## Diet & Feeding Tiny hunters, Pale Snaketails eat other insects, both as flying adults and aquatic nymphs. - **Age differences:** Nymphs hunt aquatic insects and larvae underwater; adults pursue flying insects in the air. - **Primary Foods:** mosquitoes, gnats, midges, smaller flies, mayfly nymphs, caddisfly larvae - **Foraging Method:** Pursuit ## Ecological connections - **Hunts:** [Yellow Fever Mosquito](https://www.snappit.app/explore/yellow-fever-mosquito) (*Aedes aegypti*) — Adults catch mosquitoes in flight near water. - **Eats:** Green Drake Mayfly (*Ephemera danica*) — Nymphs ambush mayfly larvae on the riverbed. - **Eaten by:** [American Bullfrog](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-bullfrog) (*Rana catesbeiana*) — Bullfrogs prey on adult snaketails near the water's edge. - **Eaten by:** [American Mink](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-mink) (*Mustela vison*) — Mink hunt aquatic dragonfly nymphs in shallow streams. ## 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. - [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 Be careful not to disturb dragonflies when you see them near water. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Pale Snaketail? 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 Pale Snaketail's wingspan? 60-90 mm ### How big is Pale Snaketail? 40-55 mm ### How long does Pale Snaketail live? 15-60 days ### How fast can Pale Snaketail fly? 35 km/h ### What does Pale Snaketail eat? Tiny hunters, Pale Snaketails eat other insects, both as flying adults and aquatic nymphs. ### Where is Pale Snaketail usually found? Wetlands ### How does Pale Snaketail hunt? Pursuit ## Where to spot - [John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/john-d-rockefeller-jr-memorial-parkway) — Wyoming, US · 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: [Pale Snaketail: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/pale-snaketail)