Emperor (dragonfly)

Emperor dragonfly
Male Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife
File:Emperor dragonfly (Anax imperator) female.JPG
female Whitecross Green Wood, Oxfordshire
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Odonata
Family:	Aeshnidae
Genus:	Anax
Species:	A. imperator
Binomial name
Anax imperator Leach, 1815
Synonyms
Anax mauricianus Anax mauritianus (lapsus)

The emperor dragonfly or blue emperor (Anax imperator) is a large species of hawker dragonfly of the family Aeshnidae, averaging 78 millimetres (3.1 in) in length. It is found mainly in Europe and nearby Africa and Asia.

Behaviour

They frequently fly high up into the sky in search of prey, which includes butterflies, Four-spotted Chasers and tadpoles; small prey is eaten while flying. They breed in a variety of aquatic habitats from large ponds to dykes, but they require a plentiful supply of vegetation in the water. The females lay the eggs into plants such as pondweed, and always lay alone. The male is highly territorial, and difficult to approach.

Identification

When they first emerge, both sexes appear pale green with brown markings. The legs are brown with a yellow like base. Wings are born black but grow yellow-brown with age. Males have a sky blue abdomen marked with a diagnostic black dorsal stripe and an apple green thorax. The thorax and head of a male is green and their prominent eyes are blue. Females have similar markings but they are mainly green.

• Ai(loz)hydro.JPG

  Male in side view

• Anax imperator-pjt1.jpg

  In flight

• Anax imperator Exuvie MHNT Parc de la Maourine.jpg

  Exuvie MHNT

• Anax imperator female.jpg

  Laying eggs

External links

• Media related to Anax imperator at Wikimedia Commons
• Data related to Anax imperator at Wikispecies