Shadow Darner

Aeshna umbrosa

The Shadow Darner is a beautiful dragonfly that loves to fly around in shady areas near water. Its wings are long and colorful, making it a lovely sight to see as it zooms by!

Habitat: Wetlands

Appearance

The Shadow Darner is a large dragonfly with a dark body, usually black or deep brown, adorned with bright blue or green spots and stripes. Its large compound eyes are often bluish-green, and the thorax can appear dusted with white. These distinct markings help differentiate it from other darner species.

KingdomAnimaliaPhylumArthropodaClassInsectaOrderOdonataFamilyAeshnidaeGenusAeshna

Shadow Darner

Interesting facts

Dragonflies are one of the oldest insect groups, flying since the age of dinosaurs!

Its powerful jaws can crush the hard shells of other insects in an instant!

They can hover in place like tiny helicopters, then dart away at incredible speed!

Wow, Shadow Darner larvae live underwater for years before becoming adult dragonflies!

Special abilities

Shadow Darner can chase and catch fast-moving prey mid-flight due to its independent wing control and powerful flight muscles.

Shadow Darner has enormous compound eyes that provide a nearly complete panoramic view, helping it detect threats and prey from all directions.

Shadow Darner can fly silently and blend into dim light conditions, allowing it to ambush unsuspecting insects at dawn or dusk.

Measurements & details

Wingspan: 80-100 mm
Size: 60-70 mm
Lifespan: 30-60 days
Flight Speed: 40 km/h
Leg Count: 6

Diet & Feeding

This skilled hunter eats other insects, helping keep pesky bugs away from ponds and wetlands!

Age differences: Larvae (nymphs) are also predatory, eating aquatic insects and sometimes tadpoles.

Primary Foods

mosquitoes
flies
moths
small beetles

Foraging Method

Pursuit

Ecological connections

hunts

Yellow Fever Mosquito

Aedes aegypti

eats larvae and adults

hunts

House Fly

Musca domestica

consumes adult flies

eaten by

American Bullfrog

Rana catesbeiana

larvae and adults are prey

eaten by

Barn Swallow

Hirundo rustica

adult dragonflies are prey

Traits

Solitary

Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care.

Aerial

Aerial creatures spend a significant portion of their lives airborne, utilizing flight for various activities such as hunting, migration, or nesting.

Colorful

Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.

Insectivorous

This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates.

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.