Diet

• Micrathyria hagenii is a predatory dragonfly. Adults capture small flying insects in flight, while the aquatic larvae prey on small aquatic invertebrates and insect larvae.

Range

• The Thornbush Dasher ranges from the southern United States through Mexico and Central America to Panama.

• It is well represented in Mexico, including Guerrero.

• It occurs in the Zihuatanejo area, where it is associated with the freshwater and wetland habitats around coastal lagoons and seasonal pools.

Habitat

• Micrathyria hagenii is particularly characteristic of temporary pools in relatively dry country, although it also uses permanent ponds and other quiet waters.

• Adults commonly perch on bushes, grasses and other fairly dense vegetation around ponds and pools. They make short flights from these perches to capture prey and defend small territories.

• Around Zihuatanejo, suitable habitat includes seasonal pools, freshwater ponds, marshy margins and lagoon edges within tropical dry forest and coastal scrub. Local observations show it using the lagoon and wetland habitat during both the dry-season and rainy-season periods.

Description

• The Thornbush Dasher is a small, slender dragonfly about 25–36 mm long.

• Mature males are predominantly dark with contrasting pale markings and often have striking turquoise-blue eyes. Females are generally browner and less strongly marked than mature males.

• The species can be recognized by its relatively small size, dark body, pale abdominal markings and habit of perching prominently on vegetation surrounding ponds and temporary pools.