Dragonfly Nymph

Statistics

Taxonomic suborder: Anisoptera

Length: 2 to 5 cm

Average life span: 6 months to 4.5 years

Juvenile stage (in water): Up to 4 years

Adult stage (out of water): up to 6 months

When To See

The young nymphs are in the water all year, while the adults are seen from May to October.

Photo credit: livinglevels.org.uk, Jan Hamrsky & Iain Reid

Habitat

The nymphs live in a range of water types, some sunny or shady waters, others like seasonal wet patches such as in fields or flood plains. They can live in the water for several years, getting up to the size they need to complete each moult; until they are big enough to crawl out the water and pupate. They spend all their time, in the river, eating. They are ferocious predators, with their lower jaw formed into an extendable ‘mask’ that flicks out grabs their prey (a bit like ‘alien’), catching and eating anything they can overpower, such as sticklebacks, small frogs and other invertebrates.

You’ll nearly always find the adults near water, ranging from rivers and ponds, to marshes and spring flushes. Each species prefers a different water habitat, such as brackish (slightly salty to fast flowing streams). The adults continue to be skilled hunters, aerially hunting other invertebrates. The males can be seen to patrol their territory and often getting into a tussle with each other, over potential mates.

How To Identify

Large eyes, and a relatively thick body with 6 long and jointed legs, and small wing buds on the back of the thorax (upper section of the body). Unlike damselfly nymphs there are no external gills, instead they are located inside the rectum.

Seen It?

Been kicking about in your local river and come across one of these invertebrates? Not sure? Share it with us at trust@forthriverstrust.org, we enjoy chatting about inverts with you.

Golden-ringed dragonfly.