Common Green Darner dragonfly (female)

Description:

This dragonfly was spotted perched for sometime low on branches in the area past the observation tower of Huntley Meadows Park."The Green Darner or Common Green Darner[2] (Anax junius), after its resemblance to a darning-needle, is a species of dragonfly in the family Aeshnidae. One of the most common and abundant species throughout North America and its range south to Panama.[3] It is well known for its great migration distance from the northern United States south into Texas and Mexico.[4] It also occurs in the Caribbean, Tahiti, and Asia from Japan to mainland China.[5] It is the official insect for the state of Washington in the United States. The Green Darner is one of the largest dragonflies existent: males grow to 76 mm (3.0 in) in length with a wingspan of up to 80 mm (3.1 in).[5][6] Females oviposit in aquatic vegetation, eggs laid beneath the water surface. Nymphs (naiads) are aquatic carnivores, feeding on insects, tadpoles and small fish. Adult darners catch insects on the wing, including ant royalty, moths, mosquitoes and flies." Source Credit: Wikipedia

Habitat:

Huntley Meadows Park, a 1,425 acre wetland area in Fairfax County, Virginia USA. Related Resource: http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/huntl...

Notes:

Copyright © 2012 Louisa Craven. All rights reserved.