Nutrition

Permission to use image by Pierre Deviche at http://www.azdragonfly.net/species/common-green-darner. A Common Green Darner eating another dragonfly.Anax junius migrates south during seasons. The Common Green Darner is always in a warm habitat. Therefore, temperature dictates were this species migrates to (EOL).  Anax junius is a predaceous species as both adults and larva. The Common Green Darner eats insects including mosquitoes, wasps, butterflies, and even other dragonflies. They control the populations of the different insect species. According to Nature Serve Explorer, there have been reported cases that the Common Green Darner has attacked hummingbirds and at times, can be cannibalistic (NatureServe 2011). The naiads, larvae of Anax junius, consume oligochaete worms, crustaceans, small fish, gastropods, tadpoles, and possibly their own species (O'Toole 2002).

In order to capture food, the larva, or naiad, shoot out their jaws and grab a hold their prey. The Common Darner dragonfly larva shoots out its labium, that is filled with hooks, to grasp their prey (O'Toole 2002). The labium isPermission to use image by John Trueman at http://tolweb.org/Odonata. This is a generic drawing of a labium shooting out at its prey. pulled back to their mouth and the dragonfly larva begins to chew their prey, which is known as mechanical digestion (O'Toole 2002). Metamorphosis is the process of maturation of the larva into an adult.  Adult dragonflies are able to grasp their prey with their legs or scoop them up by their wings. Adults also possess a labium. After the labium shoots out and brings the prey towards their mouth, the dragonfly then removes the nutrients from its prey (Hickman et al. 2007). These nutrients need to be broken down for use of energy by the body. The dragonfly has a complete digestive system consisting of both a mouth and an anus, salivary glands, esophagus, crop with is used for storage and a proventriculus which is used for grinding, a midgut, and a hundgut (Hickman et al. 2007).

Oxygen in adult dragonflies are carried out by a tracheal system. The tracheal system carries the oxygen to parts of the body through tubes. The anus of the larvae of the Anax junius consists of tracheal gills. These gills breathe by means of oxygen exchange of water through the anus. This means of oxygen exchange in the naiads also provides locomotion known as jet propulsion through the water (O'Toole 2002).

For more information about the feeding habits of Anax junius, please visit Introduction to the Odonata.

Next explore the Reproduction of the Anax junius
Return to the Homepage