Lesser Emperor Dragonfly
Anax parthenope
An amphibious hunter of the skies
The lesser emperor is a large dragonfly commonly seen along ponds and lakes, colored mainly in green and brown. It is an agile flier capable of hovering and instant turns. Its nymph stage lives in water for months to a year, an active ambush predator there, before emerging as an aerial hunter.
Key figures
- Length
- About 65–75 mm, with a wingspan of up to 90–100 mm
- Life cycle
- The nymph (naiad) lives in water for months to a year; the adult stage lasts about 1–2 months
- Habitat
- Ponds, lakes, slow-flowing waters, and the grassy vegetation around them
- Diet
- Nymphs prey on mosquito larvae and small fish or shrimp; adults catch mosquitoes, flies, and other small insects in flight
- Flight
- Can fly at speeds over 30 km/h; its two pairs of wings beat independently, enabling hovering and sharp turns
- Vision
- The compound eyes are made up of nearly 30,000 facets, giving a field of view close to 360 degrees
Life cycle
Egg → Nymph (naiad, months to a year) → Adult
Ecological role
Both adults and nymphs are important predators in the food chain of their waters and surroundings. Nymphs consume large numbers of mosquito larvae and are, in turn, an important food source for fish and birds.
Did you know
Dragonflies succeed in aerial intercepts about 95% of the time, a higher rate than large predators like lions. Their neurons predict a prey’s flight path to intercept it, rather than simply chasing the target.
Range
Widely distributed across temperate and subtropical waters of Eurasia and northern Africa
Status
Common
Anatomy
- Forewing — Crisscrossed with a network of veins; it can beat out of sync with the hindwing for fine flight control
- Hindwing — Slightly wider at the base than the forewing, generating most of the lift and helping it hover for long periods
- Compound eyes — Cover most of the head and are made up of nearly 30,000 facets, giving a field of view close to 360 degrees
- Abdomen — The tip of the slender abdomen bears grasping structures (claspers) that grip the female’s head during mating
- Thorax — Tilted in orientation, which offsets the attachment points of its four wings and three pairs of legs, aiding prey capture
- Legs — Densely lined with bristles; folded together in flight to form a basket that scoops up airborne prey
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