Orange Emperor, Anax speratus, Oranjekeiser

Male

Female

Maying Pair

Short description:

Orange Emperor, Anax speratus, Oranjekeiser is very large, uniformly orange-red in colour. Unmistakable to identify in flight and when resting.

Also known as the Eastern Orange Emperor

Male:

Very large uniformly orange-red.
Face yellow with no markings on dorsal surface of frons
Thorax orange with darker markings along the carina. Young males may have a bright green thorax Legs have reddish femora contrasting with the black tibiae
Wings clear becoming smokey with age. Pterostigmas orange
Abdomen and appendages all orange. Appendages broad curving inwards at the tips.
Young individuals have white spots at the base of each wing.

Female:

Head yellow
Eyes green when young becoming reddish brown with age
Females and immature males have an apple green thorax. Dorsal thorax have a white lateral stripe at hind base. White lateral stripe between wings
Abdominal segments 1 light whitish green. S 2 green with the hind dorsal section brown in the form of a triangle along the center ..
Young individuals have white spots at the base of each wing.
Appendages long and narrow

Bush- or reed-lined perennial streams and small rivers with moderate current, occasionally pools. May hunt over open area

Hawks at speed along streams and small rivers in fynbos, grassland, bushy or forested areas, close to the water surface.Sometimes visits pools.
Often seen ovipositing in vegetation just below surface at stream's edge.

Distribution Map
South Africa

Physical Map
South Africa

Political Map
South africa

Distribution Map
Africa

Physical Map
Africa

Political Map
Africa

South Africa:

Found in most areas of South Africa. Common in the higher rainfall northern, eastern and southern parts of South Africa.

Africa:

Angola; Democratic Republic of the Congo; Ethiopia; Kenya; Malawi; Mozambique; Namibia; Republic of South Africa; Rwanda; Sudan; Tanzania; Uganda; Zambia; Zimbabwe;