Swamp darner facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Swamp darner
Male
Female
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Odonata
Infraorder:	Anisoptera
Family:	Telephlebiidae
Genus:	Austroaeschna
Species:	A. parvistigma
Binomial name
Austroaeschna parvistigma (Selys, 1883)
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The swamp darner (scientific name: Austroaeschna parvistigma) is a type of large dragonfly. It belongs to a family of dragonflies called Telephlebiidae. These amazing insects are known for their strong flight and beautiful colors.

What is a Swamp Darner?

The swamp darner is a very dark dragonfly. It has light-colored markings on its body. These markings help it blend into its surroundings. It is a medium-sized dragonfly, but it looks quite big when it flies.

Where Do They Live?

Swamp darners live in eastern Australia. You can find them in places like northern New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, and parts of South Australia. They prefer areas with lots of plants. They especially like slow-moving streams. These streams are often full of thick plants. This makes a perfect home for them.

How Do They Look?

The swamp darner has a dark body. It has pale, or light, markings. These markings can be blue, green, or yellow. This helps them hide among the plants. Their wings are clear, like glass. They have a strong body and big eyes. These eyes help them see very well. They need good eyesight to catch insects while flying.

Swamp Darner vs. Multi-Spotted Darner

The swamp darner looks a lot like another dragonfly. This one is called the multi-spotted darner (Austroaeschna multipunctata). The multi-spotted darner lives in different places. It prefers mountain streams. These are found in southern New South Wales and eastern Victoria. While they look similar, they live in different types of water.

Life Cycle of a Dragonfly

Dragonflies, including the swamp darner, have an interesting life cycle. It starts in the water.

Eggs and Nymphs

Female swamp darners lay their eggs in water. They often place them on underwater plants. When the eggs hatch, tiny creatures emerge. These are called nymphs. Dragonfly nymphs live underwater. They are predators, just like adult dragonflies. They eat small aquatic insects and even tiny fish. Nymphs breathe through gills. They grow by shedding their skin many times. This process is called molting.

Emergence and Adult Life

When a nymph is ready, it crawls out of the water. It usually climbs onto a plant stem. Then, its skin splits open. The adult dragonfly slowly emerges. Its wings are soft at first. They harden as blood pumps into them. Once its wings are strong, the adult dragonfly flies away. Adult dragonflies live for only a few weeks or months. During this time, they hunt for food. They also find a mate to lay eggs. This completes their life cycle.

Images for kids

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  Mating pair

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  Female wings

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  Male wings