Blue Dasher Dragonfly

Blue Dasher Dragonfly

California Range Map	Photo

Adult Male

Adult Female

Taxonomic Hierarchy

Kingdom:	Animalia -- animal
Phylum:	Arthropoda -- arthropods
Class:	hexapoda -- insects
Subclass:	Pterygota -- iwinged insects
Infraclass:	Palaeoptera-- wing insects
Superorder:	Odonatoptera -- ancient winged insects
Order:	Odonata -- Dragonflies and Damselflies
Suborder:	Anisoptera -- Dragonflies
Family:	Libellulidae -- Skimmers
Genus:	Pachydiplax
Species:	Pachydiplax longipennis

Description:

Diet:

Naiad-This is a relatively small naiad with a length of 3/4 to 7/8 inch (18 to 21 mm). It is brownish above and bright green underneath. There is a single, rear-facing spine on each side of abdominal segments eight and nine, with those on segment nine being noticeably longer. There are no hooks on the back, as some naiads have.

Naiad-Naiads feed on a wide variety of aquatic insects, such as mosquito larvae, other aquatic fly larvae, mayfly larvae, and freshwater shrimp. They will also eat small fish and tadpoles.

Adult-Male: pruinose blue, developing dark tip, tan under segments 1-3; distinctive white face with black between the eyes; striped thorax can become all blue; teal green/blue eyes; wings can show brown tinted areas

Adult-Female: rectangular buff marks on dark background; no other is like it; white face

Adult-The dragonfly will eat almost any soft-bodied flying insect including mosquitoes, flies, butterflies, moths, mayflies, and flying ants or termites.

Size:

size: medium length 32 - 42 mm, wingspan 50 - 60 mm

Range Information:

Habitat:

This species is found from southern British Columbia east to Ontario, extending south through the U.S. from southern California east to Florida. It also occurs in the Bahamas. In Idaho, it can be found throughout the state at lower elevations, usually below 3000 feet (914 meters).

This dragonfly occurs near warm water ponds, warm, slow streams, and hot springs. In the northern part of its range, it almost always occurs near hot springs. Specifically in Idaho, it occurs in low elevation desert in the southwest, and at hot springs in the central and southeast portions of the state.

U. S. Flight Season:

California Flight Period:

Late June to October

March - November

Ecology:

Reproduction:

The naiads live in submerged vegetation. They do not actively pursue prey but wait for it to pass by, a strategy which affords them protection from other predators. The naiads of this species can tolerate water with low oxygen content. This is used by biologists in Florida who interpret their presence as a possible indicator of low water quality. Naiads emerge as adults at night. Adults generally fly from late June to October. Hunting occurs from perches on twigs and rocks. This is the only member of this genus.

After males and females mate, the female flies singly, without the male attached, to lay her eggs by dipping the tip of her abdomen in the water while hovering above its surface.

Conservation:

Sources :

G1 G2 G3 G4 G5

G5 - Populations are widespread, abundant, and secure.

Global ranks indicate the rarity of a species at a global scale. Species may be fairly common globally but imperiled locally. Global ranks have the following meaning:

G1 - Critically Imperiled - At very high risk of extinction due to extreme rarity (often 5 or fewer populations), very steep declines, or other factors.
G2 - Imperiled - At high risk of extinction due to very restricted range, very few populations (often 20 or fewer), steep declines, or other factors.
G3 - Vulnerable - At moderate risk of extinction due to a restricted range, relatively few populations (often 80 or fewer), recent and widespread declines, or other factors.
G4 - Apparently Secure - Uncommon but not rare; some cause for long-term concern due to declines or other factors.
G5 - Secure - Common; widespread and abundant.
* ? or Q = status unknown or uncertain