Often abundant

Late May to early August

Lakes, ponds, marshes, peat bogs, slow streams.

1⅝″ to 113 ⁄16″ long

This is a medium-sized skimmer, 1⅝″ to 113 ⁄16″ long.

Juveniles are light orangish-brown. There is a broad, dark stripe down the top of the abdomen and a pair of pale stripes on the top of the thorax. There is a small, triangular, brown patch at the base of the hindwing, where the wing attaches to the thorax. Aside from the basal patch and the stigma, the wing is clear. The face is brown and the forehead is gray.

As they mature, they develop a waxy bloom (pruinescence) at segments 2 through 4 or 5 of the abdomen. On males, the pruinescence is white and the abdomen turns black. On females, the pruinescence is gray and the abdomen turns dark brown. Males also develop two stripes of white pruinescence, “corporal stripes”, on the top of their thorax. Females have a shorter, blunt abdomen, about ⅔ as long as the wing.

Mosquito larvae, mayfly larvae, other aquatic fly larvae, and freshwater shrimp.

Mosquitoes, flies, butterflies, moths, mayflies, and flying ants or termites, and other soft-bodied flying insects.

The female hovers just above the surface of shallow water, dips the tip of her abdomen into the water, and deposits the eggs. The male does not guard the female as she deposits her eggs.

The naiads live on the bottom in a layer of decaying vegetation. They emerge as adults at night.

Adults perch horizontally on the ground, on objects in water, or on other flat surfaces, and fly up to snatch prey.

Common whitetail (Libellula lydia) wings have a broad, dark band.

Frosted whiteface (Leucorrhinia frigida) is smaller and more slender.

Widow skimmer (Libellula luctuosa) wings are boldly patterned, not clear.