Brown Hawker

Brown Hawker ( Aeshna grandis ), male

The Brown Hawker ( Aeshna grandis ) is a species of dragonfly in the family of precious Dragonflies ( Aeshnidae ). There is a very large dragonfly with a wingspan of up to 10.5 centimeters, which is strikingly colored brown - including the wings.

Features

The Brown Hawker reached wingspans of 9.5 to 10.5 centimeters and thus remains only slightly smaller than the hawker ( Aeshna cyanea ) and the Great Emperor Dragonfly ( Anax imperator). The entire body of the brown hawker has a brown tone and, in the male, a blue drawing. Males also have sparkling blue eyes and are compared with the females at the upper abdomen at the waist. In contrast to the similar color harlequin - hawker ( Aeshna isoceles ) with clear wings, the wings are with her brown. The latter also contributes to the back side of the second Abdomenabschnittes a wedge-shaped drawing.

Way of life

The Brown Hawker is to be found in the months of July to September, ponds and lakes. The males often fly very long distances without flapping its wings in gliding over the water surface and along the shore and sit down occasionally just near the ground on twigs.

The pairing of animals begins on water and is terminated on branches near the ground on the shore. The females pierce their eggs in floating and dead plant one on the water or just below the water surface.

Larval development

The eggs are laid relatively late and hibernate as such, the larvae hatch until the following year. The larval development takes two to three years. The larvae are relatively slow and spend most of their time hidden in aquatic plants.