Blue-fronted dancers are a type of damselfly
This wild winged creature is called a blue-fronted dancer. It is called a “dancer” because of how it flies. Notice the thin transparent wings. The blue-fronted dancer is a type of damselfly. Damselflies are smaller than dragonflies. The male blue-fronted dancers have a blue thorax with thin black lines and blue eyes. Males have a blue bulge at the tip of their body. Female blue-fronted dancers have a blue or brown coloration. The females do not have blue eyes. Additionally, the bulge at the tip of their body is brown, not blue. Given this information, is this blue-fronted dancer male or female? If you said male, you are correct.
The blue-fronted dancer will grow to ~1.5 inches. Like most species of damselflies and dragonflies, the blue-fronted dancer will spend most of their time around water. They are said to prefer moving water rather than still water. Females lay their eggs on floating items in the water.
Blue-fronted dancers are known to eat a variety of small insects, and may help to control these populations. They do their hunting and eating all in the air. Blue-fronted dancers generally catch their prey with their feet. Once the prey is captured, the blue-fronted dancer uses its teeth to remove the wings of its prey, so it cannot escape. It then consumes the prey and flies onward in search of more.
This photo was taken at Pawtuckaway State Park in New Hampshire. Pawtuckaway State Park is a beautiful 5000 acre preserve located in southeast New Hampshire. It gets its name from the Pawtuckaway Mountains (~900’ summit) and Pawtuckaway Lake (783 acre). The park has more than 30 miles of hiking trails. In the winter, some of these hiking trails convert into snowmobile trails. The park has almost 200 campsites, a boat launch, and canoe/paddleboard/kayak rentals.
Where can I find blue-fronted dancers? They can be found from the U.S. Great Planes eastward to the Atlantic Ocean. They can be found as far north as Ontario and as far south as Mexico. They are seen in the summer months. This photo was taken in July.
Blue-fronted dancer use their teeth to remove the wings of its prey
Did you know?
- When blue-fronted dancers rest, they fold in their wings!
- Although most dragonfly wings are only a few inches long, fossils have been found of dragonflies with wingspans up to two feet!
- Blue-fronted dancers are capable of preying on small fish!
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