Blue DasherPachydiplax longipennis
Quick facts
- Rarity
- Common
- Active during
- Midday
- Found in
- Pollywog Cove
- Length
- 1.5 in
- Wingspan
- 2.5 in
From the field notes
Diet
Darting from exposed twigs, they snatch flies mid-air by forming a basket with their legs. A single dasher can consume ♡ hundreds of mosquitoes ♡ a day.
Territory
Males fiercely defend their hunting grounds. To intimidate rivals and avoid overheating, they point their abdomens straight up at the sun in a striking "obelisk" posture.
360° Vision
Their massive eyes cover almost their entire head. This grants a nearly complete 360-degree field of view, making sneaking up on them impossible.
Water Nymph
Before growing wings, the muddy-brown nymphs live entirely underwater. They rely on a spring-loaded lower jaw to ambush mosquito larvae and tiny tadpoles.
Field Marks
Males have a powdery, chalk-blue abdomen and metallic green face. Females lack the blue entirely, instead sporting black and yellow stripes to camouflage into waterside reeds.