Yellow-winged Darter vs Streamlined Backswimmer

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Yellow-winged Darter Streamlined Backswimmer
Scientific Name Sympetrum flaveolum Notonecta irrorata
Order Odonata Hemiptera
Family Libellulidae Notonectidae
Size 32-37 mm 10-13 mm
Habitat Wetlands Ponds & Lakes
Diet Omnivores Omnivores
Regions Europe, Asia North America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Yellow-winged Darter

A medium-sized darter with extensive saffron-yellow patches at the base of all four wings. Males are red-bodied while females are yellowish.

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Did You Know?

It breeds in temporary flood meadows and is a strong migrant that appears in large numbers in good years.

Streamlined Backswimmer

A pale backswimmer with mottled wings found in still and slow-moving waters across North America. Like other backswimmers, it hangs just below the water surface film waiting for prey vibrations. It is a strong underwater swimmer.

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Did You Know?

It senses prey by detecting surface water vibrations with specialized sensory hairs on its legs, effectively turning the water surface into a detection web.