Twelve-Spotted Skimmer, Libellula pulchella
Libellulidae or Skimmer Family
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A large dragonfly, about 2 inches
long. Males (Which both pictures are) have twelve dark brown
spots on the wings, three on each wing, and ten white spots, two on each
forewing, and three on each hindwing. Two of the hindwing white
spots are at the very base of the wing behind the dark spots, and some
descriptions do not count them as spots, giving this species eight white
spots. The white spots turn bluish with age. The body also
has a whitish powder that turns bluish with age. Females and
immature males have twelve dark spots, but lack the white spots, and
have brown bodies with yellow stripes on each side of the abdomen. Eats smaller insects like flies and mosquitoes, but will take damselflies and moths. I saw one once chasing a butterfly in Wildwood. In the summer, they are very territorial and patrol their area repeatedly, often resting in the same spot between patrols. In older books this is called the Ten-Spotted Skimmer. Some sources say this is because the two dark spots on either side of the body were considered one large spot running from wing to wing across the body. Other sources say the name comes from the white spots. A strikingly handsome native dragonfly found near water from extreme southern Canada, through all of the lower 48 states, and into Mexico. In Wildwood, look for it near the entrance wetland. |
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