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Common Green Darner Dragonfly, Male
Common Green Darner Dragonfly, Male
Common Green Darner (Anax junius) male (photo taken in Iowa).
The common green darner, of the family Aeshnidae, is a widespread dragonfly often seen patrolling over fields some distance from water. Green darners are very large dragonfly with a length of 2 3/4 to 3 1/8 inches (68 to 80 millimeters). The thorax of the male is brownish green to yellowish green and unmarked. The abdomen is bright blue, changing to green towards the rear, and marked with black. The female is primarily yellowish green and marked with brownish black on the abdomen.
Dragonflies typically eat mosquitoes, midges and other small insects like flies, bees and butterflies. They are usually found around lakes, ponds, streams and wetlands because their larvae, known as "nymphs", are aquatic. Dragonflies do not normally bite or sting humans (though they will bite in order to escape, for example, if grasped by the abdomen); in fact, they are valued as a predator that helps control the populations of harmful insects, such as mosquitoes. (Date of Image: July 10, 2004)
Credit: Photo by Ann Johnson
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