Wandering Glider

Description:

The Dragonfly is up to 4.5 cm long reaching wing spans between 7.2 cm and 8.4 cm. The front side of the head is yellowish to reddish. The thorax is usually yellow to golden colored with a dark line and hairy. There were also specimens with brown or olive thorax. The abdomen has a similar color as the thorax. The wings are clear and very broad at the base. There are some specimens with olive, brown and yellow wings. On Easter Island there are Wandering Gliders with black wings. The Pterostigma turns yellowish. The transparent wings may turn a yellowish shade towards the tip. The chestnut-red eyes take up most of the head, as is usual in the large dragonflies (Anisoptera). The larva between 24 and 26 mm long. It is light green with light, brown speckles. The round eyes are sideways on the bottom of the head, the abdomen and the tail blunt. Females show some differences compared with males. The general rule is that the wings of the male are darker than on the females. The larvae of the Globe Skimmer, like all dragonflies, are predatory. It forages very actively and eats fairly indiscriminately all sorts of aquatic invertebrates such as aquatic insect larvae and small shrimps. Even tadpoles and small fish are used for food. The adult eats mostly small insects such as mosquitoes swarming flying ants and termites.

Habitat:

The wandering glider breeds in small, shallow pools, often in puddles left by thunderstorms. Adults are commonly found far away from water.