Common darter: Difference between revisions

'''Common darter''' is in the largest family of Libellulidae in the order Odonata. They have dark spots on the wings. [http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/course/ent425/compendium/odonata.html]. The life span is short, some of them are no more than a week or two, but exceptionally are 6-8 weeks. Adults form is most active between mid-morning and mid-afternoon, when the temperatures are up to the highest.

Base on order Odonata. They have three pairs of jointed appendages, exposed mouth parts, an exoskeleton, two pair of wings with many veins and cross veins, one pair of short antennae, abdomen is long and slender, and large compound eyes. The common darter has black legs with yellow streaks, which is separate it from other species. Approximately of the length is 3.8-4.3 centimeters.[http://www.scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk/visit/wildlife/c/common-darter/] The gills are located internally. The compound eyes of some dragonflies have up to 28,000 facets. Females will mate only with males that hold a territory.  

The life span is more than a year. There are three stages of the life cycle: egg, nymph, and adult. Most of the time they lived in the nymph stage (human can't see with their normal eyes). '''Egg Stage:''' a male and a female will mate while they are flying in the air. After mating, the female will lay her eggs in the water. '''Nymph Stage:''' when the eggs hatch, the life cycle of larva begins as a nymph. They lived in the water while they were growing and develpoing into adults. This step can take up to five years to complete. Nymphs live in ponds or lake areas. Nymphs could eat other smaller nymphs as development. '''Adult Stage:''' when nymph is fully grown, it will  complete the metamorphosis by climbing on a leaf. The adult will come out as a dragonfly. The skin that adult left behind is called the exuvia. After a while, the male found a mate, the female will find some water places and lay her eggs in the water. Adults are living around two months. [http://www.dragonfly-site.com/dragonfly-life-cycle.html]