# Swamp Spreadwing (*Lestes vigilax*) The Swamp Spreadwing is a beautiful dragonfly that loves to flutter around wetlands. With its long, slender body and colorful wings, it dances in the air, making it a joy to watch! - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![Swamp Spreadwing](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Lestes_vigilax.jpg&width=800) Photo: Cody Hough, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lestes_vigilax.jpg) ## Appearance The Swamp Spreadwing is a slender damselfly, often exhibiting a metallic green or bronze body. Males can develop powdery blue markings on their thorax and tail end as they age. Its clear wings are held distinctively spread at an angle when it rests, a key identifier for this group. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Odonata - **Family:** Lestidae - **Genus:** Lestes ## Interesting facts - A Swamp Spreadwing starts life underwater, transforming from a larva to a flying adult! - Look closely at their legs; they're spiky to help them grab onto slippery flying prey! - Males will often guard their territory, chasing away other damselflies who get too close. - They are ancient insects, with relatives that lived alongside dinosaurs millions of years ago. ## Special abilities - **Super Spread Wings:** Swamp Spreadwing holds its wings open at rest, which helps them quickly warm up in the sun or cool down in the shade. - **Sharp-Eyed Hunter:** Swamp Spreadwing has huge compound eyes that help them spot tiny flying insects for a meal while zipping through the air. - **Underwater Transformer:** Swamp Spreadwing starts life as a naiad that breathes underwater using special gills, helping it hunt tiny aquatic creatures. ## Measurements & details - **Wingspan:** 45-55 mm - **Size:** 35-45 mm - **Lifespan:** 30-60 days - **Flight Speed:** 15 km/h - **Leg Count:** 6 ## Diet & Feeding They are fierce insect hunters, catching tiny flying prey with impressive aerial maneuvers! - **Age differences:** Larvae (naiads) hunt aquatic invertebrates; adults hunt flying insects. - **Primary Foods:** mosquitoes, gnats, small flies, midges - **Foraging Method:** Pursuit ## Ecological connections - **Hunts:** Common House Mosquito (*Culex pipiens*) — Adults prey on this common pest, helping control populations. - **Hunts:** Lake Midge (*Chironomus plumosus*) — Adults actively catch midges, a common food source, while flying. - **Eaten by:** [American Bullfrog](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-bullfrog) (*Rana catesbeiana*) — Adult damselflies can become a meal for this large, hungry amphibian. - **Eaten by:** Mosquitofish (*Gambusia affinis*) — Their aquatic naiads are a food source for fish like the mosquitofish. - **Depends on:** Common Cattail (*Typha latifolia*) — They use cattails for perching, hunting from, and laying their eggs on. ## 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. - [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. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [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 It's safe to watch dragonflies, but don't try to catch them; they are delicate creatures. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Swamp Spreadwing? 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 Swamp Spreadwing's wingspan? 45-55 mm ### How big is Swamp Spreadwing? 35-45 mm ### How long does Swamp Spreadwing live? 30-60 days ### How fast can Swamp Spreadwing fly? 15 km/h ### What does Swamp Spreadwing eat? They are fierce insect hunters, catching tiny flying prey with impressive aerial maneuvers! ### Where is Swamp Spreadwing usually found? Wetlands ### How does Swamp Spreadwing hunt? Pursuit ## Where to spot - [Sears - Bellows Pond County Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/sears-bellows-pond-county-park) — New York, US · 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: [Swamp Spreadwing: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/swamp-spreadwing)