widow skimmer - Species Profile
Conservation • Description • Habitat • Ecology • Distribution • Taxonomy
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List
LC - Least Concern
NatureServe
N5 - Secure
SNR - Unranked
Minnesota
not listed
Description
Size
Total length: 1 13 ⁄16″
Similar Species
Habitat
Ponds, marshes, lakes, and streams.
Ecology
Season
Early April to mid-October
Behavior
Life Cycle
Larva Food/Hosts
Adult Food
Distribution
Sources
Biodiversity occurrence data published by: Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas (accessed through the Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas Portal, bellatlas.umn.edu. Accessed 7/25/2026).
Libellula luctuosa Burmeister, 1839 in Bánki, O., Roskov, Y., Döring, M., Ower, G., Hernández Robles, D. R., Plata Corredor, C. A., Stjernegaard Jeppesen, T., Örn, A., Pape, T., Hobern, D., Garnett, S., Little, H., DeWalt, R. E., Miller, J., Orrell, T., Aalbu, R., Abbott, J., Abreu, C., Acero P, A., et al. (2026). Catalogue of Life (2026-07-17 XR). Catalogue of Life Foundation, Amsterdam, Netherlands. https://doi.org/10.48580/dgykv
Abbott, J.C. 2006-2026. OdonataCentral: An online resource for the distribution and identification of Odonata. Available at https://www.odonatacentral.org/. (Accessed: 7/25/2026).
Haarstad, J. 1997. The dragonflies of selected eastern Minnesota rivers. Report submitted to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Unpaged.
Steffens, W. P., and W. A. Smith. 1999. Status survey for special concern and endangered dragonflies of Minnesota: population status, inventory and monitoring recommendations. Final report submitted to the Natural Heritage and Nongame Research Program, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. 54 pp.
Occurrence
Common
Taxonomy
Order
Odonata (Dragonflies and Damselflies)
Suborder
Superfamily
Libelluloidea
Family
Libellulidae (Skimmers)
Genus
Libellula (King Skimmers)
Subordinate Taxa
Synonyms
Libellula basalis
Libellula odiosa
Common Names
widow skimmer




























