# Southern Hawker (*Aeshna cyanea*) The Southern Hawker is a colorful dragonfly with bright green and blue markings. It loves to fly around ponds and gardens, catching small insects in the air. - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Wetlands - **Also known as:** Southern Hawker Dragonfly ![Southern Hawker](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/2013.07.01.-21-Wustrow-Neu_Drosedow--Blaugruene_Mosaikjungfer-Maennchen.jpg&width=800) Photo: Andreas Eichler, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2013.07.01.-21-Wustrow-Neu_Drosedow--Blaugruene_Mosaikjungfer-Maennchen.jpg) ## Appearance The Southern Hawker is a large, robust dragonfly. Males typically have a striking mosaic pattern of blue and apple-green on a black body, while females are usually green and yellow. Its large, iridescent compound eyes meet at the top of its head, providing exceptional vision. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Odonata - **Family:** Aeshnidae - **Genus:** Aeshna ## Interesting facts - A Southern Hawker's eyes contain nearly 30,000 tiny lenses for incredible sight! - Baby Southern Hawkers live underwater for up to two years before transforming! - Dragonflies have been zipping around Earth since before the dinosaurs! - They can twist and turn in the air, even flying backwards, thanks to their four wings! ## Special abilities - **Aerial Acrobat:** Southern Hawker can hover, fly backward, and turn rapidly because of its independently controlled wings that help them catch agile prey. - **360-Degree Sight:** Southern Hawker has huge compound eyes covering most of its head that helps them spot movement in almost every direction. - **Underwater Hunter:** Southern Hawker larvae can breathe and hunt underwater using gills that help them ambush aquatic insects and tadpoles. ## Measurements & details - **Wingspan:** 95-110 mm - **Size:** 70-75 mm - **Lifespan:** 395-1185 days - **Flight Speed:** 45 km/h - **Leg Count:** 6 ## Diet & Feeding Southern Hawkers are aerial hunters, catching other flying insects right out of the air! - **Age differences:** Larvae eat aquatic insects and tadpoles; adults eat flying insects. - **Primary Foods:** flies, mosquitoes, butterflies, moths, smaller dragonflies - **Foraging Method:** Pursuit ## Ecological connections - **Hunts:** [housefly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/housefly) (*Musca domestica*) — Adults actively pursue and eat these flies. - **Hunts:** common mosquito (*Culex pipiens*) — Adults are important predators of mosquitoes. - **Eaten by:** common frog (*Rana temporaria*) — Frog adults and tadpoles can eat dragonfly nymphs. - **Eaten by:** blackbird (*Turdus merula*) — Birds, like blackbirds, sometimes catch adult dragonflies. ## 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 Southern Hawkers are harmless, but it's best to watch them from a distance. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Southern Hawker? 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 Southern Hawker's wingspan? 95-110 mm ### How big is Southern Hawker? 70-75 mm ### How long does Southern Hawker live? 395-1185 days ### How fast can Southern Hawker fly? 45 km/h ### What does Southern Hawker eat? Southern Hawkers are aerial hunters, catching other flying insects right out of the air! ### Where is Southern Hawker usually found? Wetlands ### How does Southern Hawker hunt? Pursuit ## Where to spot - [Bergedorfer Schlosspark (Hamburg)](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bergedorfer-schlosspark-hamburg) — Hamburg, DE · 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: [Southern Hawker: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/southern-hawker)