Stats

Lifespan: A few weeks
Size: Medium
Diet: Insectivore
Activity: Diurnal
Social: Solitary
Biome: Freshwater wetland
Range: Europe
Movement: Flight
Breeding: Egg-laying
Defense: Speed
Status: Common

About

The Ruddy Darter is a small dragonfly whose mature males turn a vivid blood-red, with a distinctly waisted, club-shaped abdomen that sets them apart from other darters. They patrol ponds and ditches across Europe and western Asia, often perching horizontally on low vegetation.

Life cycle

1.
egg
A small egg is laid on or near the larval food source and hatches within days or weeks.
2.
juvenile
An immature insect feeds and molts, growing through successive instars.
3.
subadult
A near-adult insect has wing buds or near-mature form, one molt away from full size.
4.
adult
Fully grown, with full wings and adult coloration.

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Taxonomy

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Odonata
Family: Libellulidae
Genus: Sympetrum
Species: Sympetrum sanguineum