Spangled Skimmer

The Spangled Skimmer is a medium-sized skimmer dragonfly found across much of the eastern and central United States. Its common name refers to the bright white patches at the base of the hindwings, which contrast sharply with a dark brown-black band further out on the wing, creating a spangled effect.

Mature males develop a powdery blue body typical of many Libellula skimmers, while females and immature individuals show a brown body with pale yellow side stripes and a yellow stripe running down the top of the abdomen. This species favors sunny, open wetland edges.

• Wings show a bright white basal spot (spangle) followed by a dark brown-black band on each wing
• Mature males: powdery blue body with a blackish face
• Females and immatures: brown body with pale yellow lateral thorax stripes and a yellow mid-dorsal abdominal stripe
• Medium build, similar in shape to other Libellula skimmers
• Distinguished from the Twelve-spotted and Common Whitetail by its more limited wing banding pattern and smaller white spangle placement

Spangled Skimmers are found around ponds, lakes, and marshes with open, sunny shorelines and moderate vegetation. The species occurs widely across the eastern and central United States, from the Northeast and Midwest south to the Gulf Coast. Adults are typically seen from late spring through summer.

Males perch prominently on open twigs, grass stems, or bare ground near water to guard territory, chasing off intruding males with quick flights. As adults, they hunt small flying insects such as mosquitoes and midges on the wing, using their strong flight and large eyes to spot and intercept prey. Aquatic nymphs are ambush predators in the pond, feeding on other invertebrates among submerged plants, and both nymphs and adults form an important part of the wetland food web.

Females lay eggs by dipping the tip of the abdomen into open water while flying, often over sunlit areas of the pond. Eggs hatch into aquatic nymphs that live among submerged vegetation and debris, growing through repeated molts over about a year in much of their range while preying on small aquatic invertebrates. When fully developed, nymphs crawl out onto emergent stems to complete their final molt and emerge as winged adults, an example of incomplete metamorphosis without a pupal stage. Adults live for several weeks, focusing on feeding, territory defense, and reproduction.