Emperor Dragonfly

Anax imperator — the emperor dragonfly — is the largest dragonfly species in Europe and one of about 30 species in genus Anax (the 'emperor dragonflies' or 'green darners' worldwide). Adults reach 8 cm body length and 11 cm wingspan and are characterized by brilliant coloration: males have apple-green thorax and brilliant sky-blue abdomen with a dorsal black stripe; females have green thorax and abdomen. The species is one of the most spectacular freshwater predators on the European continent and is widespread across Europe, North Africa, and parts of western Asia. Adult emperor dragonflies hunt entirely on the wing — they are aerial predators that capture other flying insects using a 'leg basket' (the six legs project forward and downward to form a scoop) and consume the prey IN FLIGHT without landing. Documented hunting success rate exceeds 95% (Combes et al., 2012, Journal of Experimental Biology) — one of the highest hunting success rates of any predator on Earth, far exceeding the 25-50% success rates typical of large vertebrate predators (lions, hawks, sharks). Adult flight speed reaches 50+ km/h in level pursuit. Aquatic naiads (which spend 1-2 years in ponds before emerging as adults) are equally voracious predators — they capture aquatic prey with a unique 'lower lip' (the labium) that telescopes forward at high speed to grab prey, and they are major predators of mosquito larvae, midge larvae, tadpoles, and small fish. The genus Anax is also famous for migration: the closely related green darner (A. junius) of North America undertakes one of the longest insect migrations known, traveling 1,500+ km annually between Canada and Mexico over multiple generations.