Hine’s Emerald Dragonfly
Dragonfly always fascinates me. Its big eyes, glossy wings and metallic body make me curious every time. But today’s world is not suitable for them, especially for Hine’s emerald dragonfly, an enlisted endangered dragonfly in USA. The places they can be found are only USA and CANADA. The IUCN lists Hine’s emerald dragonfly as near threatened, on the other hand State of Michigan and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service list the species as endangered.
The species, Hine's emerald dragonfly, is extremely rare, it lives in marshes and sedge meadows where the soil is rich in calcium carbonate or lime and other minerals and also in discrete fen. The nymphs are found in cool, shallow water which slowly flows through vegetation; and adult Emerald dragon fly are found in open areas in close proximity to forest edge. The Hine’s emerald dragonfly was found in Alabama, Indiana, Ohio, Illinois, Michigan, Missouri, Ontario and Wisconsin.
This dragonfly is noticeable with a metallic green body and bright emerald-green eyes, with yellow stripes on its sides. They can be distinguished from all other species of dragonfly by these physical features. Its body is about 60-65 mm (2.3 - 2.5 inches) long; its wingspan reaches about 90- 95 mm (3.5-3.7) inches.
When they are nymphs they have a carnivorous diet of different kinds of aquatic larvae of mayflies, isopods, oligochaetes, flies, mosquitoes, snails, amphibians, and other dragonfly larvae. Usually they wait for prey to cross their path and then attack them and adults prey other flying insects. Nymphs are diet of larger invertebrates, fish, turtles, and crayfish. So they have a distinct ecological role. As an aquatic and aerial insectivorous predator they guard the Earth's waterways. And they are also a food source for fish and other water animals larger than them.
The adults may live only 4 to 5 weeks or in some cases 5 to 6 weeks, as a nymph lives for 2 to 4 years. Females lay eggs in shallow water and depositing clusters of eggs --- 200 eggs at a time. It dies after reproducing.
for Hine’s emerald dragonfly few appropriate habitats exist, it is rare because of its specific and uncommon habitat requirements. But its habitats are threatened directly and indirectly by industrial and residential development, use of pesticide and fertilizer which cause habitat destruction.
To maximize the efficiency and effort to expand the conservation process of Hine’s emerald dragonfly lots of research need to be done.
The species, Hine's emerald dragonfly, is extremely rare, it lives in marshes and sedge meadows where the soil is rich in calcium carbonate or lime and other minerals and also in discrete fen. The nymphs are found in cool, shallow water which slowly flows through vegetation; and adult Emerald dragon fly are found in open areas in close proximity to forest edge. The Hine’s emerald dragonfly was found in Alabama, Indiana, Ohio, Illinois, Michigan, Missouri, Ontario and Wisconsin.
This dragonfly is noticeable with a metallic green body and bright emerald-green eyes, with yellow stripes on its sides. They can be distinguished from all other species of dragonfly by these physical features. Its body is about 60-65 mm (2.3 - 2.5 inches) long; its wingspan reaches about 90- 95 mm (3.5-3.7) inches.
When they are nymphs they have a carnivorous diet of different kinds of aquatic larvae of mayflies, isopods, oligochaetes, flies, mosquitoes, snails, amphibians, and other dragonfly larvae. Usually they wait for prey to cross their path and then attack them and adults prey other flying insects. Nymphs are diet of larger invertebrates, fish, turtles, and crayfish. So they have a distinct ecological role. As an aquatic and aerial insectivorous predator they guard the Earth's waterways. And they are also a food source for fish and other water animals larger than them.
The adults may live only 4 to 5 weeks or in some cases 5 to 6 weeks, as a nymph lives for 2 to 4 years. Females lay eggs in shallow water and depositing clusters of eggs --- 200 eggs at a time. It dies after reproducing.
for Hine’s emerald dragonfly few appropriate habitats exist, it is rare because of its specific and uncommon habitat requirements. But its habitats are threatened directly and indirectly by industrial and residential development, use of pesticide and fertilizer which cause habitat destruction.
To maximize the efficiency and effort to expand the conservation process of Hine’s emerald dragonfly lots of research need to be done.
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