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Red Saddlebags

Tramea onusta

The Red Saddlebags is a beautiful dragonfly with bright red and black colors. They love to fly around ponds and wetlands, showing off their stunning wings.

Habitat: Wetlands

Appearance

The Red Saddlebags is a medium-sized dragonfly with a reddish-brown body. Males are distinguished by prominent red or orange-red patches, resembling 'saddlebags,' at the base of their hindwings. Females usually have amber or yellowish wing patches.

KingdomAnimaliaPhylumArthropodaClassInsectaOrderOdonataFamilyLibellulidaeGenusTramea

Category

Insects

Rarity

Common

Danger

1/5 · Very low

Snaps

2

Interesting facts

A dragonfly nymph can shoot out its hinged lower lip to snatch unsuspecting prey underwater!

Dragonflies are among Earth's oldest winged insects, having existed for over 300 million years!

Its larval stage, called a nymph, lives underwater for months or even years, breathing with gills!

Some Red Saddlebags undertake long migrations, flying thousands of kilometers across continents!

Special abilities

Ability

Aerial Acrobat

Red Saddlebags can fly incredibly fast and change direction mid-air, helping them evade predators and chase prey efficiently.

Ability

360-Degree Vision

Red Saddlebags has huge compound eyes covering most of its head, giving it nearly 360-degree vision to spot prey and threats.

Ability

Basket Hunter

Red Saddlebags can form a basket with its spiny legs while flying, which helps it scoop flying insects right out of the air.

Measurements & details

Wingspan
70-90 mm
Size
45-55 mm
Lifespan
30-90 days
Flight Speed
45 km/h
Leg Count
6

Diet & Feeding

This dragonfly is an aerial hunter, preying on many different flying insects for its meals.

Age differences: Nymphs hunt aquatic invertebrates underwater; adults hunt flying insects in the air.

Primary Foods

  • Mosquitoes
  • Midges
  • Flies
  • Gnats
  • Moths

Foraging Method

  • Pursuit

Ecological connections

Traits

Also known as

No aliases listed yet.

Collections

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 Red Saddlebags?

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 Red Saddlebags's wingspan?

70-90 mm

How big is Red Saddlebags?

45-55 mm

How long does Red Saddlebags live?

30-90 days

How fast can Red Saddlebags fly?

45 km/h

What does Red Saddlebags eat?

This dragonfly is an aerial hunter, preying on many different flying insects for its meals.

Where is Red Saddlebags usually found?

Wetlands

How does Red Saddlebags hunt?

Pursuit

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