Fauna
Insect · GBIF taxon 4302543

Prince Baskettail

Epitheca princeps

Prince baskettails are unusually large emerald dragonflies recognizable by three prominent dark patches along each of their four clear wings. Adults spend long afternoons patrolling high above lakes, rivers, and sunny forest glades, rarely perching for more than a few moments at a time. Females deposit large masses of eggs directly into open water by dipping their abdomens while hovering at high speeds.

DragonflyAerial HunterWing Patches
Prince Baskettail reference1 / 7
Licensed reference(c) John Rosford, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & prey
  • Mosquitoes
  • Midges
  • Small flies
Predators
  • Birds
  • Frogs
  • Larger dragonflies
ThreatsWater pollution, wetland loss, and agricultural pesticide runoff
HabitatsLakes, slow rivers, ponds, and forest openings
Life span1–3 years (majority spent as aquatic nymph; adults live 1–2 months)
Classification
  1. OrderOdonata
  2. FamilyCorduliidae
  3. GenusEpitheca
  4. SpeciesEpitheca princeps
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
  • Spotting: Scan treetops and open water on warm afternoons where adults fly endlessly.
  • Photography: Set a high shutter speed to capture them in flight since they rarely perch.
  • Larval Searching: Look for spiny aquatic nymphs along vegetated pond edges.
Related species
Keep collecting in Fauna

Found in Collections

Ecosystem chain

Wetland Territory

Prince Baskettail is found in this collection. Identify it in Fauna to fill this slot and continue your progress.

—/12
Continue in the app
Help improve the field guideSomething wrong?

Report a name, category, or profile issue for review.

Checking your Fauna account…