Dragonhunter
Hagenius brevistylus
The aquatic nymph is flat, wide, and dark, mimicking a submerged decaying deciduous leaf on the riverbed.
- Scientific name
- Hagenius brevistylus
- Taxonomy
- Animalia › Arthropoda › Insecta › Odonata › Gomphidae › Hagenius
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- aquatic
- Habitat
- Clean, rocky or sandy forest streams and rivers, as well as adjacent riparian woodland margins.
- Diet
- Carnivorous; nymphs eat aquatic insects, tadpoles, and small fish; adults prey on other dragonflies, bees, wasps, and butterflies.
- Range
- Canada, United States
- Size
- 73–90 mm in body length with a wingspan up to 114 mm
- Lifespan
- 2–4 yr
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Siltation, damming of lotic waters, pollution of clean streams, and clearance of riparian woodland.
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless to humans. Dragonhunters have no stinger and possess no venom. They are wary and fly off when approached. If caught and handled carelessly, their large mandibles can deliver a harmless pinch that rarely breaks the skin; wash any scratch with soap and water.
The dragonhunter ( Hagenius brevistylus ) is a clubtail dragonfly of the eastern United States and southeastern Canada.
Photo: Jimmy Dee, CC-BY-SA, via iNaturalist
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