Many dragonflies boast medleys of bright colors with bands on the long abdomen. The Shadow Darner is less conspicuous. Though it has green and blue coloring, it is less abundant. The overall darkness of the insect gives it an advantage when it hunts at dusk. It cannot escape its large size and flight noise, but its less obvious coloring can make it harder for flying insects prey to see it coming. Besides black, green and blue are the only other colors seen on the body, and individuals may be more blue than green. The eyes are rimmed in green or blue, and the area between the wings are studded with color. Small, tight dashes of color sit at the top of each abdominal segment. A thin blue band sits at the 'waist' like a belt. Diagonal stripes on the side of the thorax are green or green-blue. A single pane in the glassy wings is filled in with orange color.
Shadow Darners are active from spring through autumn. Females use an ovipositor to deposit fertilized eggs in soggy wood. Look for them in the summer near ponds, swamps, and woody banks of lakes where trees and logs are likely to be saturated with water.
General Characteristics Capability, Shape, Texture/Pattern, Benefits, Dangers
Note: An insect's reach is not limited by lines drawn on a map and therefore species may appear in areas, regions and/or states beyond those listed above as they are driven by environmental factors (such as climate change), available food supplies and mating patterns.
Colors: black; yellow; blue; green; orange
