These dragonflies are only about 1.5 inches long!
Let’s unpack this interesting name for this interesting creature. The primary body colors of orange and black make it easy to understand why it is called a “Halloween” dragonfly. The “Pennant” part of the name comes from this dragonfly perching atop vegetation, blowing in the breeze like a pennant. These unique creatures are only about 1.5 inches long, but are comprised of four separate wings. This gives them ultimate control in the air, but ironically these creatures develop in water!
Let’s talk about the lifecycle of a Halloween pennant dragonfly. Scientists believe these dragonflies mate in the morning, but that is still something being studied. When it comes time to mate, the male and female dragonfly will link together. The male dragonfly will use a specially adapted pair of appendages to grab the female dragonfly’s head, hooking them together. After breeding, the linked dragonflies will fly to water to lay their eggs, then they separate. Once the eggs hatch, the wingless nymph dragonfly will live underwater. It will grow and molt several times as it matures. Eventually, it will crawl out of the water and molt one more time to become the insect we recognize, wings included.
It comes as no surprise, when you have four large wings, you will be a strong flyer. These dragonflies are capable of flying in strong rains and winds. They also use these large wings as sun shades. On particularly hot days, these dragonflies will lay their wings length-ways over their body to keep cool.
Where can I find Halloween pennant dragonflies? In the United States, they can be found from the East Coast to the Rocky Mountains. They have also been reported in Canada, Cuba, and the Bahamas. In the United States, most sightings occur in the summer months. Halloween pennant dragonflies live around standing freshwater, but they aren’t the only ones. Some of their predators include birds, spiders, and even bats!
I took this photo in Everglades National Park, a perfect habitat for dragonflies. It is easy to spot a dragonfly down here, but it is challenging to get a photo of one. Halloween pennant dragonflies are erratic flyers and don’t stick around too long in any one spot. You are up against an insect that can fly forwards, backwards, up, down, and even hover in place. Some dragonflies can reach speeds over 30 miles per hour. To get a sharp photo, you will want a fast shutter speed and good lighting.
Halloween pennant dragonflies live around standing freshwater
Did you know?
- Most species of dragonflies live less than a year. Unfortunately, this is thought to be the case for Halloween pennant dragonflies as well.
- If a dragonfly lands on your head it is considered good luck.
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