Anax empereur (Anax imperator)
• Scientific name: Anax imperator Leach, 1815
• English name: Blue Emperor
• German name: Grosse Königslibelle
• French name: Anax empereur
• Dutch name: Grote keizerlibel
• Swedish name: Blå kejsartrollslända
• Norwegian name: N/A
• Finnish name: Keisarikorento
• Danish name: Stor kejserguldsmed
• Italian name: Imperatore comune
• Czech name: šídlo královské
• Slovenian name: Veliki spremljevalec
• Bulgarian name: Царски пъстролет
• Typical length: 66-84 mm
• Hindwing: 45-52 mm
Of the four European Emperor species, the Blue Emperor is easily the commonest and most widespread; only in Scandinavia is it still rare. Anax imperator is a large dragonfly and a formidable hunter, which regularly preys on smaller dragonflies. Its most distinguishing features include the male's striking light-blue abdomen (usually pale brownish green in the female, although quite a few of our photographs are of females with brown-and-blue abdomens) and the apple-green thorax. The female Anax imperator oviposits unguarded by the male - see photographs below.
