# 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. - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 2 - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![Red Saddlebags](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Tramea_onusta_312680309.jpg&width=800) Photo: Brady Reed, CC0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tramea_onusta_312680309.jpg) ## 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. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Odonata - **Family:** Libellulidae - **Genus:** Tramea ## 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 - **Aerial Acrobat:** Red Saddlebags can fly incredibly fast and change direction mid-air, helping them evade predators and chase prey efficiently. - **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. - **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 - **Hunts:** [Yellow Fever Mosquito](https://www.snappit.app/explore/yellow-fever-mosquito) (*Aedes aegypti*) — Eats adult mosquitoes - **Hunts:** House Fly (*Musca domestica*) — Preys on flying adult flies - **Eaten by:** [American Bullfrog](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-bullfrog) (*Lithobates catesbeianus*) — Adults are eaten by frogs - **Eaten by:** [Yellow Perch](https://www.snappit.app/explore/yellow-perch) (*Perca flavescens*) — Nymphs are eaten by fish ## 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. - [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 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 ## Where to spot - [South Coast Botanic Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/south-coast-botanic-garden) — California, US · Botanical Garden - [Wildlife World Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/wildlife-world-zoo) — Arizona, US · Zoo ## 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: [Red Saddlebags: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-saddlebags)