Small Pincertail (Onychogomphus forcipatus) lives in fast flowing rivers across Europe and Asia. It feeds on insects and larvae. Its conservation status is Least Concern.
Fascinating facts about the Small Pincertail
- Six-centimetre dragonfly with a wingspan that can stretch to almost three inches. Its body reaches up to 6 centimetres (2.4 in) long, while the wings span 5.5-7.5 centimetres (2.2-3.0 in). These dragonflies usually inhabit clean rivers with a little faster running water and gravel or sandy banks.
- Continental traveler spans three continents, showing up from Europe to North Africa and Central Asia. This quite common and widespread dragonfly is present in most of Europe, in North Africa (Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia), and in West/Central Asia (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, and Turkmenistan).
- Summer sprint begins in early June and can last until September, but in the warm south the show starts as early as April. Adults can be encountered close to running water and lakes from June through September. In Southern Europe, the emergence period typically begins in April. After the mating the females lay about 500 eggs into the water, each one a tiny promise of the next generation.
- Island specialist stretches its season from early spring to late autumn, yet it walks a thin line on the conservation ladder. In Cyprus, the flight season of the subspecies O. f. albotibialis is from late March to October. This subspecies is classified as a Near-threatened species.
- Hidden beneath river gravel, the young spend years growing before ever taking flight. Their life cycle from egg to imago lasts about 3-5 years.
Sources
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At a glance
RangeEurope and Asia
HabitatFast flowing rivers
DietInsects and larvae
About the Small Pincertail
As the sun casts its warm glow upon the glistening waters, the Small Pincertail emerges, its iridescent body glimmering like a shard of splintered rainbow as it dances through the air with an effortless elegance. With a flight as swift and agile as a spark of electricity, this diminutive dragonfly weaves an intricate pattern of pursuit and evasion, its spiky tail appendages glinting like tiny scimitars as it patrols its aquatic realm. In this whirling dervish of movement, the Small Pincertail embodies the very essence of life, a kinetic embodiment of the unbridled joy and abandon that defines the natural world.
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