Will they visit?: Scarlet Perchers visit home gardens with ponds and pools
Natural Distribution: Common and widespread throughout the South West and Perth region
Diplacodes haematodes – deborod (CC BY-NC 4.0). Source: Atlas of Living Australia
Diplacodes haematodes – Graham Winterflood (CC BY-SA 4.0). Source: Atlas of Living Australia
Diplacodes haematodes – johnreichler (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0). Source: Atlas of Living Australia
Habitat at a Glance
See Habitat Guide for more detail
Shelter: Rocks, exposed sand, logs, and short shrubs
Diet: Flying insects and aquatic invertebrates
Water: Large frog ponds
ReWild Benefit: Pest control
Habitat Guide - Shelter
Natural Shelter
Scarlet Perchers often sun themselves on exposed areas including rocks, sand areas, or logs near ponds. Scarlet Perchers are shy and can be scared away from ponds with a lot of human activity. Their young (called nymphs) require submerged plants within a pond to provide protection from potential predators.
Soft flowing fountains or waterfalls oxygenate ponds and help create suitable habitat for breeding dragonflies. Powerful water fountains can scare away some dragonflies and they are unlikely to use the pond to lay their eggs.
Novel Shelter
Not required.
Habitat Guide - Food and Water
Providing natural sources of food
Scarlet Perchers capture their prey on the wing. Rocks, and exposed areas around the garden can provide habitat for Scarlet Perchers to survey the garden for potential prey. Flowering plants within the garden (wattles, kennedia, gravillea, or hardenbergia) will attract other flying insects and provide Scarlet Perchers additional foraging habitat. Nymphs feed on aquatic insects, tadpoles, and even small fish!
Providing sources of water
Scarlet Perchers can breed in quiet garden ponds. Larger ponds have a greater chance of supporting dragonflies. Dragonflies lay their eggs in ponds and the aquatic nymphs forage for food under the water. Dragonflies emerge from the water and leave an exuvia (shed skin) on rushes, logs, and rocks.
ReWild Benefits
Dragonflies are efficient predators and excellent pests controllers around the home. If you see this charismatic dragonfly around your garden or pond, you can record your sighting on Atlas of Living Australia!
