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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Dragonflies and Damselflies (Odonata) » Dragonflies (Anisoptera) » Common Skimmers (Libellulidae) » Saddlebags (Tramea) » Black Saddlebags (Tramea lacerata)

Species Tramea lacerata - Black Saddlebags

Classification · Size · Identification · Range · Habitat · Season · Food · Life Cycle · Remarks · Print References · Internet References · Works Cited
Black Saddlebags - Tramea lacerata Dragonfly - Tramea lacerata Black Saddlebags Pair - Tramea lacerata - male - female dragonfly - Tramea lacerata black saddlebags - Tramea lacerata - male Unknown Anisoptera - Tramea lacerata Something on the back of Dragon Fly it's not on the wings, I'm sorry you need to zoom in! - Tramea lacerata Black Saddlebags - Tramea lacerata - male
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Odonata (Dragonflies and Damselflies)
Suborder Anisoptera (Dragonflies)
Family Libellulidae (Common Skimmers)
Genus Tramea (Saddlebags)
Species lacerata (Black Saddlebags)
Size
Length 4.7-5.5 cm
Identification
Large dark "saddlebags" on hindwings distinctive. Could be confused with Carolina or Red Saddlebags in poor light. Flies constantly, often gliding, perches infrequently.
Range
Includes most of North America, absent from upper midwest.
Habitat
Near ponds, other bodies of water. Widespread in migration.
Season
Spring into fall in temperate areas, all year in subtropics.
Food
Predatory on flying insects
Life Cycle
Breeds in fish-free temporary or permanent ponds, ditches. (See account for genus Tramea on oviposition.) Partially migratory--some move north to breed and the next generation flies south. May migrate in swarms.
Remarks
Seldom perches.
Print References
Dunkle, p. 217, plate 40 (1)
Dunkle (2)
Nikula (3)
Internet References
Odonata of the United States
RLE Photo
Cirrus Imaging
Animal Diversity Web
Odonata Central (Texas)
Works Cited
1.Dragonflies Through Binoculars: A Field Guide to Dragonflies of North America
By Sidney W. Dunkle
2.Dragonflies of the Florida Peninsula, Bermuda, and the Bahamas
By Sidney W. Dunkle
3.Stokes Beginner's Guide to Dragonflies
By Donald and Lillian Stokes
Contributed by Cotinis on 16 May, 2004 - 7:47pm
Last updated 12 June, 2004 - 6:49am

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