Wandering Glider Dragonfly

Pitcairn Islands Post issued the stamp series feature Wandering Glider Dragonfly in two single stamps and one specifically shaped souvenir sheet on August 26, 2009

This dragonfly is the world’s most widely distributed dragonfly being found in the tropics as well as in temperate zones. It breeds on every continent except Europe and Antarctica and is found all around the world.

This species flies almost constantly and drifts with the wind as it feeds. It flies thousands of miles over oceans and because of its characteristic gliding flight, its common name is the Globe Skimmer or Wandering Glider. It can be seen flying almost anywhere in open country, sometimes in great numbers. They rarely perch but at sea they have been known to land on ships far away from land.

They usually inhabit the thickly vegetated areas of stream bank areas and lower wetland areas near the ocean. Breeding occurs in standing or slow moving water, so rice paddies in the tropics are particularly suitable habitats. Forests and even rain puddles are also known breeding locations.

 
The colour of the thorax and tapered abdomen of both sexes is orangish to light brown with long, broad and clear wings. The small dark area on the tip of the hind-wing is distinctive.

The Dragonfly is up to 4.5 cm long reaching wing spans between 7.2 cm and 8.4 cm.

The Wandering Glider feeds mainly on insects and small crustaceans. Of distinct advantage to humans is that both the larvae and the adult are great hunters and often eat a lot of insect pests, including mosquitoes. Their main predators are fish.