Southern Hawker
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| Aeshna cyanea (Muller, 1764) |
The Southern Hawker (Aeshna cyanea), known as the Blue Darner in the Western Hemisphere, is a 70 mm long species of hawker dragonfly.
It is large, with a long body. It has green markings on the black bodies, and the male also has blue spots on the abdomen.
The Southern Hawker breeds in still or slow-flowing water, but will wander widely, and is often seen in gardens and open woodland. This is an inquisitive species and will approach people.
The adult eats insects, caught on the wing. The nymphs feed on aquatic insects, tadpoles and small fish ambushed in the pond they frequent until they emerge as adults in July and August after three years’ development.
