Species · GBIF taxon 5051775
Blue Emperor
Anax imperatorAlso known as Emperor Dragonfly, Common Emperor
Blue emperors are magnificent, fast-flying aerial predators that dominate the skies over ponds, lakes, and slow-moving rivers. Males are highly territorial, patrolling large beats with a characteristic hovering flight and aggressively chasing away rivals or even small birds. Females are mostly green, blending into the bankside vegetation where they insert eggs directly into aquatic plants.
DiurnalPredatoryAquatic-Nursery
1 / 7—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Mosquitoes
- Flies
- Butterflies
Predators
- Eurasian Hobby
- Frogs
- Large spiders
ThreatsHabitat loss, water pollution, and climate-induced drought
HabitatsPonds, lakes, canals, slow-flowing rivers, and marshlands
Life span1 to 2 years (mostly spent as aquatic nymphs, with adults living 1 to 2 months)
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
- Watch the patrol: Find a sunny pond margin and watch the male fly a regular, repeating loop to defend his territory.
- Look for emerging nymphs: Check upright reeds early on summer mornings to spot empty larval cases left behind.
- Observe perched individuals: Look for them hanging vertically from twigs or reeds during cool or windy weather.
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) Eugene Zelenko, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
Close Relative Davidvraju / CC BY-SA 4.0 · cc-by-sa
Help improve the field guideSomething wrong?
Checking your Fauna account…Report a name, category, or profile issue for review.