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Project Noah Nature School
Orthemis ferruginea
Males are a lavender-blue thorax and lavender pink (rosy purple) abdomen, with a metallic purple face and dark purple-red eyes.The wings are normally clear except for the narrow brown tips at the edges. The young have a bright pinkish or purple abdomen and when they are mature adults their thorax will develop a pale bluish tint.It eats by foraging at the top of tall vegetation and it is an aggressive predator that takes insects that are just slightly smaller than itself.
A city maintained retention pond. These dragonflies prefer ponds and quiet water, both permanent and temporary rain pools, stock tanks, etc. Roseates fly in midday when some other species are not flying.
Returned to this pond to evaluate the impact of a two consecutive days of aerial spraying for West Nile. Water level in the retention pond is down several inches.
Spotted on Sep 6, 2012
Submitted on Sep 9, 2012
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