Bug FAQViolet Dropwing
Trithemis annulata · Order: Odonata · Family: Libellulidae
Also called: Violet-marked Darter
Violet Dropwing is a medium-sized dragonfly with a wingspan of about 60 mm; males are violet-red with red wing veins, females are yellow-brown, and both sexes have red eyes. Both larvae and adults are predators that catch prey in water or on the wing, and the species can breed quickly in temporary water bodies.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The species is robust and medium-sized with a wingspan of about 60 mm (2.4 in). Females are similar in size to males but have a brownish thorax and a yellow abdomen with dark brown markings.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It is seen flying near sluggish rivers, marshes and still-water ponds. It is sometimes observed in brackish water, though breeding there is uncertain.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Larvae develop in water and are aggressive predators. Adults also hunt, using good eyesight to spot prey and their legs to catch and carry it.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Larvae grow quickly, allowing the species to use temporary water bodies for breeding. Males often perch on twigs of waterside shrubs or rocks in sunshine, moving to trees in low light.
Source: Wikipedia
Lookalikes
It looks similar to the red-veined dropwing (Trithemis arteriosa), which has a slimmer abdomen and a wedge-shaped black area near the tip of the abdomen.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Libellulidae)
Sources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trithemis_annulata
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-22 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-22.