Description of the Four Spotted Chaser Dragonfly
The four-spotted chaser -seen here in The Western Isles - The Outer Hebrides - Four-Spotted Chasers can be speedily identified by the clearly visible dark spots on each wing. Males and females are very similar, with each wing having two dark markings, one in the middle and one toward the wing tip - i.e 4 spots on each side which is where the name the four spotted chaser comes from. They have a brown thorax and brown eyes. Females actually have more of an orange colour or honey brown whilst males are mostly dark grey . The tip of the abdomen is black. In size they are 39-48mm
Food
The adult dragonflies eat eat insects - like gnats and midges. The larvae eat a wide range of aquatic animals including various insect larvae and tadpoles
Behaviour
The Four-spotted Chaser dragonfly is quite often be the first dragonfly that you might see when near a a pond or stream. It can be seen fighting with an aggressive Broad bodied chaser - these dragonfli.es look similar however the four spotted chaser has a more slimmer abdomen. This dragonfly flies from May to October
Its nymph is a 'mudsprawler' that has long legs that allow it to walk over soft mud in ponds and ditches looking for its prey.. It has small eyes and long antennae. The larvae climb out of the water on plants and shortly afterwards, the adult is ready to take to the wing. It is two years after the eggs are laid.
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