Insect · GBIF taxon 5051775
Blue Emperor
Anax imperatorAlso known as Emperor Dragonfly, Blue Hawker
Blue emperors are aggressive aerial predators that dominate sunny ponds and lakes across Europe, Asia, and Africa. Males feature brilliant sky-blue abdomens and apple-green thoraxes, which they display while patrolling large territorial beats above open water. Females lay eggs directly into floating aquatic vegetation, where the voracious aquatic nymphs hunt for up to two years before emerging.
TerritorialFast FlyerInsectivore
1 / 7—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Flies
- Butterflies
- Damselflies
Predators
- Birds
- Frogs
- Fish
ThreatsWetland destruction, water pollution, pesticide runoff
HabitatsPonds, lakes, slow-moving streams, canals, gravel pits
Life span1–2 years as larva; 1–2 months as adult
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- FamilyAeshnidae
- SpeciesAnax imperator
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Observation: Look for males patrolling open water on warm, sunny summer days.
- Patience: Stand quietly near pond margins to watch them hunt insects mid-flight.
- Territory Patrol: Watch males repeatedly return to preferred perches along the bank.
Competitor Ebertakis / CC BY-SA 3.0 · cc-by-sa
Predator (c) Ani Sarkisyan, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Ani Sarkisyan · cc-by
Close Relative (c) César Alonso, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Close Relative Davidvraju / CC BY-SA 4.0 · cc-by-sa
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