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Species account
Blue Emperor
(Anax imperator)
Leach, 1815
Hawkers (Aeshnidae) [Dragonflies] BLEM 24806
Hawkers (Aeshnidae) [Dragonflies] BLEM 24806
Stor Kejserguldsmed (dk)
Emperador Azul (es)
Blå Kejsartrollslända (se)
Synonyms (common):
Emperor Dragonfly (gb) Libélula Emperador (es)
Synonyms (scientific):
Aeschna formosa Vander Linden, 1820
Aeschna azurea Charpentier, 1825
Aeschna dorsalis Burmeister, 1839
Anax mauricianus Rambur, 1842
Aeschna lunata Kolenati, 1856
Aeschna azurea Charpentier, 1825
Aeschna dorsalis Burmeister, 1839
Anax mauricianus Rambur, 1842
Aeschna lunata Kolenati, 1856
Measurements:
To 66-84mm Ab 50-61mm Hw 45-52mm
Generations:
Flight period:
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Identification:
One of the largest dragonflies in Denmark, and Europe. Flies around tirelessly in search of food or a mate. Mostly seen as single individuals.
Male has blue-green eyes and blue markings on entire abdomen except for S1 which is green. It also has two blue 'emblems' in front of the base of the wings.
The female has greenish eyes and emblems and normally a dull green color to markings on abdomen.
Male has blue-green eyes and blue markings on entire abdomen except for S1 which is green. It also has two blue 'emblems' in front of the base of the wings.
The female has greenish eyes and emblems and normally a dull green color to markings on abdomen.
Similar species:
Life stages:
The mating takes place away from water, in bushes and trees, and lasts for about 10 minutes. The solo female then inserts the eggs into plant material just below the surface. The eggs hatch after 3-5 weeks and the larvae live in-between the water plants and develop during 1-2 years. The imago-transformation takes place both near the water or some way away in nearby bushes or thickets.
Distribution:
Most of Europe; absent most of Fennoscandinavia north of Stockholm. Also absent northern Ireland and Scotland. Present in all of Africa and Eurasia to C Asia including parts of India. Also present in Mauritius, Oman and parts of Saudi Arabia. Also Cape Verde islands and the Canary islands. In Denmark present since 1994 and in all regions.
Habitat:
Behavior:
Host plants:
Vandaks (Potamogeton)
Tusindblad (Myriophyllum)
Vandpest (Elodea)
Dead plant material
Tusindblad (Myriophyllum)
Vandpest (Elodea)
Dead plant material
Endemic:
Redlist
(?):NE: Not evaluated
NA: Not applicable
DD: Data deficient
LC: Least concern
NT: Near threatened
VU: Vulnerable
EN: Endangered
CR: Critically endangered
EW: Extinct in the wild
EX: Extinct
RE: Regionally extinct
NA: Not applicable
DD: Data deficient
LC: Least concern
NT: Near threatened
VU: Vulnerable
EN: Endangered
CR: Critically endangered
EW: Extinct in the wild
EX: Extinct
RE: Regionally extinct
LC(global) LC(eu) LC(EU) LC(dk)
Status
First discovered in Denmark in 1994, it is an efficient immigrant that subsequently has occupied all parts of Denmark, as it is expanding globally. Amager
Comment:
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819
(1 photos)
2022-06-28 Krebseklo-vandhullet/kirkegård (Hørsholm), Denmark Imago Two with a Green-eyed Hawker and a Four-spotted Chaser. |
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2922
(4 photos)
2024-08-05 Kongelundsområdet, Denmark Imago Nordskoven. Found these three wings lying on the dike with no traces of the rest of the animal - eaten by a bird or fallen prey to a cannibalistic congener. Likely. This species because of the size of the wings, the size of the wing mark, the elongated shape of the Triangle field (marked pink in photo 3) in the right hind-wing and the shape of the Rspl vein (Radial Supplement Vein - also highlighted with pink in photo 3) that at the end points toward the [missing] tip of the wing. I was quick to call it a female because it didn't have an anal triangle in the hindwing, but it appears that males of the genus Anax don't have it either, though normally present in aeshnid males. Wings |
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442
(2 photos)
2020-08-13 Kalvebod Fælled, Denmark Imago Male Ellevehøjvej. A pleasant surprise to have this male perching right in front of me. Normally I only seem them flying or taking flight from a good distance. |
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630
(1 photos)
2021-06-07 Store Hareskov (nordsjælland), Denmark Imago Male The well-marked black markings on the abdomen should make this a male. |
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511
(4 photos)
2021-07-06 Sorthat Skovområde (bornholm), Denmark Imago Male Safirsøen. |
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510
(2 photos)
2021-07-07 Kalvebod Fælled, Denmark Imago Male Fasanskoven. Mature male with the strong blue color on the abdomen. Even when perched the characteristic upward curve at the base of the abdomen is obvious. |
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512
(2 photos)
2021-07-07 Kalvebod Fælled, Denmark Imago Male Fasanskoven. Another male than 510, but in the same spot. Unusual to me to find two individuals of this species perched for a longer time. But conditions were favorable in a protected clearing with the hot sun baking on an otherwise windy day. |
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817
(1 photos)
2022-06-18 Teglstrup Hegn (nordsjælland), Denmark Imago Male |
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1147
(2 photos)
2022-07-16 Kalvebod Fælled, Denmark Imago Male Pinseskoven. |
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1132
(1 photos)
2022-08-17 Kalvebod Fælled, Denmark Imago Male |
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2113
(3 photos)
2023-08-02 Kalvebod Fælled, Denmark Imago Male Granathøj. Both a male and a female were present showing only slight interest in each other. And no bother to the affinis [Sydlig Mosaikguldsmed] males either. |
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2197
(5 photos)
(1 videos)
2023-08-16 Travbaneparken, Denmark Imago Male Rescued after being caught in the surface vegetation of the big basin. Took off after shaking the wings dry. Hands on |
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2266
(1 photos)
2023-08-25 Travbaneparken, Denmark Imago Male Plejehjemsdammen. |
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2969
(2 photos)
2024-07-19 Kalvebod Fælled, Denmark Map Imago Male Granatsø. |
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514
(1 photos)
2021-05-30 Sorthat Skovområde (bornholm), Denmark Imago Female Safirsøen. Greenish eye and rather black top of abdomen. Other than 513. |
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515
(4 photos)
2021-07-06 Sorthat Skovområde (bornholm), Denmark Imago Female Safirsøen. Egg-dropping without the male present is unique among the anax dragonflies. |
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513
(2 photos)
2021-07-06 Sorthat Skovområde (bornholm), Denmark Imago Female Safirsøen. Think it is a female with not so blue eyes and a lot of black on top of the abdomen. |
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818
(1 photos)
2022-06-28 Krebseklo-vandhullet/kirkegård (Hørsholm), Denmark Imago Female Krebseklo-vandhullet |
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820
(2 photos)
2022-06-28 Krebseklo-vandhullet/kirkegård (Hørsholm), Denmark Imago Female |
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821
(1 photos)
2022-06-28 Krebseklo-vandhullet/kirkegård (Hørsholm), Denmark Imago Female Egg-laying without male interaction as is characteristic for this Anax emperor. |
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1713
(1 photos)
2023-06-30 Amager Fælled, Denmark Imago Female Egg-laying in the Landskabelig Kanal. |
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2805
(4 photos)
2024-06-21 Kalvebod Fælled, Denmark Imago Female Bagstien, Pinseskoven. A young female without much blue coloration, though some is starting to shine through on top of both frons and thorax. |
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2850
(1 photos)
2024-07-06 Krebseklo-vandhullet/kirkegård (Hørsholm), Denmark Imago Female Den tørre eng over krebseklo-vandhullet. Some females are strongly colored and can be difficult to separate in flight, why I chased this one until it perched. The brownish cast to the dark parts on top of the abdomen is good for the female as is of course the shape of the appendages. |
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2970
(2 photos)
2024-07-19 Søvang, Denmark Map Imago Female Vandhullet. Egg-laying. Two different females. |
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2720
(5 photos)
2024-05-24 Travbaneparken, Denmark Exuvia Store regnvandsbassin. Saw 10 similar exuvias in the two basins, but no imagines around, why they must go far to seek better foraging grounds. The same was the case on Amager Fælled a few days later. Here they normally fly along the DLK, but maybe the steady eastern wind has made it less favorable to forage in these parts. Or it might also be that I haven't been aware of the exuvias in earlier years and the vanishing-behavior is as it has always been. Length: 50 mm. Exuvia |
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3191
(11 photos)
2025-06-02 Travbaneparken, Denmark Exuvia Female Lille regnvandsbassin. Sitting 50 cm above the water on sedge. Flat mask; Large eyes reaching toward the center of the head and with a convex terminal edge parallel to the rear edge of the head; Size. Female because of the genital-plate structure belov on S9 (photo 7). Several exuviae are present in these days, but no sign of the adults; the same as last year. Photo 11 shows the female above and another animal to show size variation. Exuvia |