Orange-winged Dropwing
Trithemis kirbyi
Named 'dropwing' because they lower their wings below their body when perched. To prevent overheating on hot rocks, they raise their abdomen vertically in an 'obelisk posture'.
- Scientific name
- Trithemis kirbyi
- Taxonomy
- Animalia › Arthropoda › Insecta › Odonata › Libellulidae › Trithemis
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- wetland
- Habitat
- Rocky streams, rivers, pools, and artificial reservoirs in arid, savanna, and semi-desert regions.
- Diet
- Carnivorous; feeds on flying insects like mosquitoes, midges, and small moths.
- Range
- Southern Europe, Africa, Middle East, South Asia
- Size
- Wingspan of 50-60 mm; body length of 30-38 mm
- Lifespan
- Up to 1 year (mostly spent as aquatic nymph; adults live 1 to 2 months)
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Water pollution, invasive vegetation choking breeding pools, and excessive water extraction in arid regions.
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless to humans. They do not sting and will only bite if handled roughly. Enjoy watching them from any distance. If one lands on you, remain still to observe its brilliant orange coloration; no medical action is necessary.
Trithemis kirbyi , also known as the orange-winged dropwing , scarlet rock glider , or Kirby's dropwing , is a species of dragonfly in the family Libellulidae.
Photo: Javier Sánchez Álvarez, CC-BY, via iNaturalist
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