Insect
ðª²
ðª²
Size
66â84 mm body; 97â106 mm wingspanUK's largest dragonfly â wingspan the width of your hand
Weight
1 gAbout the weight of a paperclip
Lifespan
1â4 years as larva; 4â6 weeks as adult
Rarity
Common
M vs F
Males are sky blue with a black dorsal stripe; females are green â both large and powerfully built
Habitat
Large lakes, ponds, gravel pits, slow rivers with open water and emergent vegetation
Best time
JuneâAugust
Conservation
UK: Green
LC
💡 Did you know?
The Emperor Dragonfly is one of the most powerful aerial hunters in the world â it catches prey in mid-air with a success rate of over 90%, far higher than most birds of prey
Larvae (nymphs) are ambush predators that can shoot out a hinged jaw (the "mask") in 25 milliseconds to catch tadpoles, small fish and other invertebrates
Often confused with
Hairy Dragonfly (smaller
hairy thorax
emerges earlier)
Blue-tailed Damselfly (much smaller
slender)
0
Be the first to spot this!