# White Corporal (*Ladona exusta*) The White Corporal is a beautiful dragonfly with striking white and blue colors. They love to fly around ponds and wetlands, showing off their amazing wings. - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 4 - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![White Corporal](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/White_corporal_%2834649657234%29_%28cropped%29.jpg&width=800) Photo: Melissa McMasters from Memphis, TN, United States, CC BY 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:White_corporal_%2834649657234%29_%28cropped%29.jpg) ## Appearance The White Corporal is a medium-sized dragonfly with a dark brown to black body. Males develop a distinctive powdery white coating on their abdomen. Its wings are clear, featuring a dark spot called a stigma near the tip. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Odonata - **Family:** Libellulidae - **Genus:** Ladona ## Interesting facts - An adult White Corporal can fly its entire body length in less than a second! - Dragonflies often 'sunbathe' to warm up their muscles, helping them fly faster! - They are ancient insects, existing on Earth even before dinosaurs roamed! - White Corporals spend most of their life underwater as fierce, camouflaged nymphs! ## Special abilities - **Acrobatic Flyer:** White Corporals can hover in mid-air and even fly backward, which helps them ambush unsuspecting prey. - **Panoramic Vision:** This dragonfly has huge compound eyes that give it nearly 360-degree vision, essential for hunting and avoiding predators. - **Lightning Grab:** The White Corporal has spiky legs that form a basket to scoop flying insects right out of the air. ## Measurements & details - **Wingspan:** 65-80 mm - **Size:** 40-45 mm - **Lifespan:** 30-60 days - **Flight Speed:** 45 km/h - **Leg Count:** 6 ## Diet & Feeding This insect is a skilled hunter, feasting on smaller flying insects like mosquitoes and flies. - **Age differences:** Nymphs hunt aquatic insects and small tadpoles, while adults exclusively catch flying insects. - **Primary Foods:** mosquitoes, gnats, flies, midges, small moths - **Foraging Method:** Pursuit ## Ecological connections - **Eats:** [Largemouth Bass](https://www.snappit.app/explore/largemouth-bass) (*Micropterus salmoides*) — eats nymphs in the water - **Eaten by:** [Eastern Kingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-kingbird) (*Tyrannus tyrannus*) — preys on adult dragonflies - **Hunts:** Common House Mosquito (*Culex pipiens*) — preys on adults in flight - **Shelter:** Common Cattail (*Typha latifolia*) — provides perches and shelter ## 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 Dragonflies are friendly and won't hurt you, but it's best to watch them from a distance. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify White Corporal? 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 White Corporal's wingspan? 65-80 mm ### How big is White Corporal? 40-45 mm ### How long does White Corporal live? 30-60 days ### How fast can White Corporal fly? 45 km/h ### What does White Corporal eat? This insect is a skilled hunter, feasting on smaller flying insects like mosquitoes and flies. ### Where is White Corporal usually found? Wetlands ### How does White Corporal hunt? Pursuit ## Where to spot - [Davisville Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/davisville-historic-district) — Rhode Island, US · Historic District - [Bear's Den](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bears-den) — Massachusetts, US · Nature Reserve - [Hopkins Mill Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/hopkins-mill-historic-district) — Rhode Island, US · Historic District - [New Salem Common Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/new-salem-common-historic-district) — Massachusetts, US · Historic District - [North Stonington Village Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/north-stonington-village-historic-district) — Connecticut, US · Historic District [View all places to see White Corporal](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/white-corporal) ## 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: [White Corporal: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-corporal)