Taxonomy
Hemianax ephippiger | Vagrant Emperor | Impire Fánach
Distribution
Status
Conservation status
Ireland: Not Assessed
EU: Least Concern
Native status
Vagrant / never established
Species Biology
Identification
Length: 63mm
Wingspan: 100mm
Medium to large, pale, sandy brown dragonfly. They have brown eyes and
the males have a violet coloured “saddle” near the base of their abdomen which
is either absent or less conspicuous in females. The costa (line along the top
of the wing) is yellow and the pterostigma is long and brown. There are yellow paired spots on the last
three segments of the abdomen.
Adult habitat & habits
They are compulsive migrant species
Habitat
Prefers water bodies that higher temperatures, limited
vegetation and no fish or other higher predators. They typically breed in
shallow and often temporary pools. The larvae can tolerate salinity levels of a
considerable degree.
Flight period
Any time of year, particularly July to December
Life cycle
Very rapid life cycle. Larvae complete development sometimes
in two months.
Distribution
World distribution(GBIF)
Irish distribution
Very rare in Ireland with only a few recordings in the south
coast.
Temporal change
Records submitted to Data Centre in 2025
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