# Spiny Baskettail (*Epitheca spinigera*) The Spiny Baskettail is a special dragonfly with long, slender wings and a spiny body. It loves to fly around wetlands and is often seen darting over the water. - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 1 - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![Spiny Baskettail](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Spiny-baskettail-teneral.jpg&width=800) Photo: Raphael Carter, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Spiny-baskettail-teneral.jpg) ## Appearance The Spiny Baskettail is a medium-sized dragonfly with a dark, often metallic green or bronze body. Its transparent wings may have a subtle amber tint at the base. Males have distinctive spiny claspers at the end of their abdomen, giving them their unique name. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Odonata - **Family:** Corduliidae - **Genus:** Epitheca ## Interesting facts - Its babies, called nymphs, live underwater for years before they become flying adults! - Male Spiny Baskettails use special 'baskets' on their tail to grab females during mating! - Some adult Spiny Baskettails only live a few weeks, but they make every moment count! - These dragonflies can hover perfectly still in mid-air, like a tiny helicopter! ## Special abilities - **Aerial Hunter:** Spiny Baskettail can catch tiny flying insects mid-air with incredible agility, thanks to its powerful wings and basket-like legs. - **Underwater Ambush:** Its larvae can breathe underwater and ambush smaller aquatic creatures, using a unique hinged jaw to snatch prey quickly. - **360 Vision:** Spiny Baskettail has huge compound eyes covering most of its head, giving it nearly 360-degree vision to spot prey and predators. ## Measurements & details - **Wingspan:** 60-80 mm - **Size:** 40-50 mm - **Lifespan:** 14-45 days - **Flight Speed:** 40 km/h - **Leg Count:** 6 ## Diet & Feeding This swift insect preys on smaller flying insects, while its young hunt underwater. - **Age differences:** Larvae are aquatic predators, adults hunt flying insects. - **Primary Foods:** Mosquitoes, Midges, Flies, Mayflies, Gnats, Small moths - **Foraging Method:** Pursuit ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Eastern Phoebe](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-phoebe) (*Sayornis phoebe*) — Adult dragonflies are snatched from the air by this bird. - **Eaten by:** [Largemouth Bass](https://www.snappit.app/explore/largemouth-bass) (*Micropterus salmoides*) — Fish eat Spiny Baskettail larvae that live in the water. - **Hunts:** Mosquito (*Aedes aegypti*) — Adult baskettails are voracious predators of flying mosquitoes. ## Traits - [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. - [Insectivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/insectivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates. - [Spiky/Thorny](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spiky-thorny): Possessing sharp, pointed projections or spines on the body or surface. - [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 it's best to observe them from a distance. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Spiny Baskettail? 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 Spiny Baskettail's wingspan? 60-80 mm ### How big is Spiny Baskettail? 40-50 mm ### How long does Spiny Baskettail live? 14-45 days ### How fast can Spiny Baskettail fly? 40 km/h ### What does Spiny Baskettail eat? This swift insect preys on smaller flying insects, while its young hunt underwater. ### Where is Spiny Baskettail usually found? Wetlands ### How does Spiny Baskettail hunt? Pursuit ## Where to spot - [Parc linéaire de la rivière Saint-Charles](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/parc-lin-aire-de-la-rivi-re-saint-charles) — Québec, CA · Park - [Nancy Greene Provincial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/nancy-greene-provincial-park) — British Columbia, CA · State 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: [Spiny Baskettail: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spiny-baskettail)