# Red-tailed Pennant (*Brachymesia furcata*) The Red-tailed Pennant is a colorful dragonfly with bright red and yellow markings. It loves to fly around sunny areas near water, showing off its beautiful wings. - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 2 - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![Red-tailed Pennant](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Red-tailed_pennant_%28Brachymesia_furcata%29_male_Tobago.JPG&width=800) Photo: Charles J. Sharp, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Red-tailed_pennant_%28Brachymesia_furcata%29_male_Tobago.JPG) ## Appearance The Red-tailed Pennant is a medium-sized dragonfly with a distinct reddish-orange abdomen on males, while females are duller yellowish-brown. Its clear wings feature a prominent dark spot (stigma) near the tip, and the thorax often displays yellowish streaks. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Odonata - **Family:** Libellulidae - **Genus:** Brachymesia ## Interesting facts - Adult Red-tailed Pennants can catch and eat tiny insects while flying at top speed! - Their underwater nymphs breathe through gills inside their abdomen, a unique survival trick! - These dragonflies are ancient, with fossils showing they have existed for over 300 million years! - They help clean the air by eating thousands of flying pests, keeping nature in balance! ## Special abilities - **Aerial Acrobat:** Red-tailed Pennant can hover and fly backwards because of powerful wing muscles that help them hunt agile prey. - **Predator Vision:** Red-tailed Pennant has enormous compound eyes that allow them to see almost 360 degrees, helping spot tiny flying insects. - **Nymph Camouflage:** Red-tailed Pennant nymphs can blend into murky water because of their cryptic coloration that hides them from fish predators. ## Measurements & details - **Wingspan:** 60-85 mm - **Size:** 35-50 mm - **Lifespan:** 30-90 days - **Flight Speed:** 35 km/h - **Leg Count:** 6 ## Diet & Feeding Red-tailed Pennants are aerial hunters that feast on small flying insects like mosquitoes and flies. - **Age differences:** Nymphs eat aquatic invertebrates and small fish, while adults eat flying insects. - **Primary Foods:** mosquitoes, midges, flies, gnats, small moths, butterflies - **Foraging Method:** Pursuit ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Eastern Kingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-kingbird) (*Tyrannus tyrannus*) — Adult dragonflies are a food source for various bird species. - **Eaten by:** [Largemouth Bass](https://www.snappit.app/explore/largemouth-bass) (*Micropterus salmoides*) — Dragonfly nymphs are prey for many freshwater fish species. - **Eats:** Common House Mosquito (*Culex pipiens*) — Adult Red-tailed Pennants consume numerous mosquitoes. - **Eats:** Non-biting Midge (*Chironomus plumosus*) — Dragonflies actively hunt and consume swarms of midges. ## 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. - [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 harmless and fun to watch, but don't try to catch them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Red-tailed Pennant? 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-tailed Pennant's wingspan? 60-85 mm ### How big is Red-tailed Pennant? 35-50 mm ### How long does Red-tailed Pennant live? 30-90 days ### How fast can Red-tailed Pennant fly? 35 km/h ### What does Red-tailed Pennant eat? Red-tailed Pennants are aerial hunters that feast on small flying insects like mosquitoes and flies. ### Where is Red-tailed Pennant usually found? Wetlands ### How does Red-tailed Pennant hunt? Pursuit ## Where to spot - [Key West Tropical Forest & Botanical Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/key-west-tropical-forest-and-botanical-garden) — Florida, US · Botanical Garden ## 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-tailed Pennant: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-tailed-pennant)