Eastern Amberwing

Perithemis tenera — the eastern amberwing — is one of the SMALLEST DRAGONFLIES in North America and one of the most striking small dragonflies on the continent. The species is widespread across all of eastern and central North America from southern Canada south through the eastern US to Mexico. Adults are 2-2.5 cm body length (the smallest mature dragonflies in NA — about the size of the loop in a paper clip). Males have brilliant TINTED AMBER WINGS — both the forewings and hindwings are entirely tinted amber-orange in color, creating a dramatic visual effect when the dragonfly is in flight or perched. Females and immature males have less heavily-tinted wings, often with brown spots rather than full amber tinting. The species is a flagship example of WASP MIMICRY among NA dragonflies. Three features combine to create the wasp-mimic appearance: (1) SMALL SIZE (the size of a small wasp, much smaller than typical NA dragonflies); (2) AMBER WING COLORATION (similar to the tinted wings of paper wasps and other small wasps); and (3) DISTINCTIVE BEHAVIOR — eastern amberwings PUMP THE ABDOMEN UP AND DOWN while perched (a behavior unique among NA dragonflies that closely mimics the abdomen-pumping behavior of foraging wasps). The combination is so convincing that bird and frog predators are documented to AVOID ATTACKING eastern amberwings — the wasp-mimicry provides effective protection from vertebrate predation. Eastern amberwings are common at well-vegetated ponds and slow streams across the eastern US and are one of the most-photographed small dragonflies in NA macro nature photography. Like all dragonflies, the species is a major beneficial mosquito predator — adults consume small flying insects (especially mosquitoes, midges, gnats), and naiads consume mosquito larvae and other aquatic invertebrates over a 1-year aquatic development period. The species is harmless to humans (no sting, no bite) and is a flagship subject of NA dragonfly behavioral research because of the unique wasp-mimic biology.