Anax junius
Copyright, J. L. Laswell
Green Darners are one of
our largest dragonflies, and one of the easiest to
recognize. Their bodies grow over three inches long, with a
wingspan of 4 1/2 inches. Green Darners are
dimorphic,
which means males and females look different. Both sexes
have a green thorax
(middle section of body), but males have a blue
abdomen
(long back part of body), while females' abdomens are
purplish-gray. Both males and females
have a mark like a target on their faces. Green Darners'
eyes are brown. Green Darners are found
around ponds, lakes, marshes,
and slow-moving streams. Copyright, Stuart
Tingley
Huntley Meadows Park
Copyright, Jim
Roetzel When Green Darners mate,
the male chases and catches the female, before inserting the
tip of his abdomen behind the females head (see first
photo). The female then goes to
where plants grow from water and, while clinging to the stem
of a plant, she backs slowly into the water. She will make a slit in
the stem of the plant and lay her eggs inside.
Steve Valley
Dragonfly larvae
are called naiads.
Naiads of Green Darners are dark greenish-brown and
will eventually grow two inches long. Naiads are
ferocious predators
and will attack just about anything smaller than
them, and even some creatures that are larger. They
eat many aquatic
insects, tadpoles,
aquatic worms, and small fish. They also eat small
animals that are washed into the water, such as
earthworms. Naiads will
molt
several times, shedding their outer shell and
growing bigger each time. When they are ready for a
final molt, the naiads crawl out of the water on a
plant stem. Then they emerge from their shell as an
adult. Patricia
Sutton Adult Green Darners eat
many flying insects, even away from the water. Some of their
prey includes: mosquitos, midges, caddisflies, wasps,
butterflies, bees, and other dragonflies. Besides being one of the
biggest dragonflies, Green Darners are one of the fastest.
In late Summer, they migrate
south in huge numbers. Unlike birds, which migrate back in
the Spring, dragonflies go only one way. However, the Green
Darners' offspring will return north. Naiads that are still in
the water when cold weather comes will stay and
overwinter.
They will leave the water to become adults in the
Spring. Green Darners will mate
in the air, on the ground, or hanging from the branch of a
bush or tree. Their coloration helps
them camouflage
on green plants, such as the Eastern Redcedar in the picture
to the right. Patricia
Sutton
Copyright, University of Minnesota
Royal British Columbia
Museum To catch prey,
the naiads of Green Darners have a mouthpart, called a
labium, which is folded under the head. When the naiad approaches
its prey, the labium swings forward and grabs it.
