Wing Deformation On 30-1-2007 8:54 AM while other newly emerged Pantala flavescens in this drain already made their maiden flights to far away tree tops, this femal Pantala flavescens still cling on her exuvia. A close look reviewed why...

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Pantala flavescens, known as Wandering Glider or Globe Skimmer, is a wide-ranging dragonfly found worldwide in the tropics, as well as in temperate zones of North America and Eurasia.

A study of the gut contents of adults feeding over rice fields in Bangladesh showed that their diet consisted mainly of mosquitoes.

Breeds in small, shallow, often temporary pools. Adults frequently are observed far from water.

Pantala flavescens is the most wide ranging odonate species in the world, being found throughout the tropics and subtropics of all continents. It is a fairly large for a libellulid ( hw, 40-44 mm). The hindwing is broad at the base and strongly pointed towards the apex. There is normally a small but definite brown mark at the tip of the hindwing. Fully mature males acquire a reddish tinge to the abdomen, but otherwise both males and females are overall dull brownish-yellow. It breeds mainly in temporary waters and ponds and may be present in many hundreds in open areas, along roads and around cleared hilltops far from water. However it also occurs almost anywhere in exposed situations, including mountain tops in dense primary forest up to at least 3000 m. I have even seen a female fly well into the forest up a clear swift stream and oviposit in a turbulent pool, although this behaviour is highly unusual for the species. It is more aerial in habits than most libellulids, perching infrequently.

雌蟲 黄蜻 (薄翅蜻蜓) 雌蟲體色較暗或較淡，近似雄蟲.腹背的中線黑斑較發達。 生活於平地至低中海拔山區，分布廣領域強，常見於草原、溪流、水田等水域的高空飛翔，棲息量很大，為常見的種類。 黄蜻 (薄翅蜻蜓) 具遷徙的能力，於遷徙季節常見於海面飛行。近似種夜遊蜻蜓，黃昏出現，翅面具褐色及灰白色的斑紋。

Males patrol territories about 30–150 ft (9–45 m) in length. After mating, the male remains in tandem while the female lays her eggs. Females oviposit by tapping the surface of the water with the tip of the abdomen. Larval development is rapid, an adaptation that allows for the use of temporary pools (including swimming pools) as breeding sites.

昆虫种名：黄蜻(薄翅蜻蜓) Pantala flavescens (Fabricius,1798)

所属类别：差翅亚目 蜻科Libellulidae

虫体大小：体长44-50mm 翅展80mm

幼虫多在静水中生活，具有匙形下唇，其上有刚毛，用以取食。幼虫老熟后，从水中爬出，脱皮后羽化为成虫。成虫经常栖息于旷野池沼，河流等多水、草木繁茂的地方，以虫类为食，能消灭大量的害虫。