Twelve-Spotted Skimmer

Libellula pulchella — the twelve-spotted skimmer — is one of the largest and most-photographed dragonflies in North America and one of the flagship 'skimmer' dragonflies in family Libellulidae. The species is widespread across all of North America from southern Canada south through Mexico, found at well-vegetated ponds, lakes, and slow-moving rivers. Adults are 5-6 cm body length, 8-9 cm wingspan, with the species' defining feature being the TWELVE DARK WING SPOTS — three large brown-to-black patches on each of the four wings, arranged in alternating bands across the wings (a basal patch, a middle patch, and a wingtip patch). The wing-spot pattern is conspicuous in flight and at rest and makes the species instantly recognizable from any other North American dragonfly. Adult males develop additional WHITE 'FLASH' PATCHES between the dark spots as they mature (the white is created by waxy secretions called pruinescence) — the white-and-dark alternating pattern is a key TERRITORIAL SIGNAL. Males perform aerial display flights at the pond edge with the white flash patches reflecting sunlight, signaling territory ownership to rival males and quality to passing females. The species is one of the most-photographed dragonflies in North American macro nature photography because of the dramatic visual impact of the wing pattern in flight. Twelve-spotted skimmers are major beneficial mosquito predators — adults hunt aerial insects in continuous patrol flight at pond margins, and naiads consume mosquito larvae and other aquatic invertebrates over a 1-2 year aquatic development period. The species is widespread across all of North America and is one of the most familiar large dragonflies at well-vegetated freshwater habitats from May through September.