The wandering glider: the globe-trotting dragonfly that sails the oceans

Known as the wandering glider (Pantala flavescens), this 4.5 cm dragonfly is the planet’s farthest-migrating insect, traveling up to 18,000 km between India and East Africa and even crossing 3,500 km of open ocean on monsoon winds. It breeds rapidly—in 38 days larvae develop—allowing females to lay up to 2,000 eggs and exploit ephemeral waters, and recent isotope and genetic studies show it represents a single global population. Found on every continent except Antarctica, its extraordinary migration highlights how even common insects can host astonishing journeys.