twelve-spotted skimmer & Common Whitetail
This dragonfly is a Common Whitetail. These are abundant and widespread dragonflies, often found a good distance away from the nearest body of water. Mature males have pruinose white abdomens.
Immature males have the same wing pattern as mature males (above), but their abdomens are brown with white notches along the sides. This species flies from late April through September in our area.
Female Common Whitetails also have white notches along the sides of their abdomens, but the wing pattern is completely different from the males. Females have three dark spots on each wing (12 spots total).
Male Twelve-spotted Skimmers have a beautiful design of alternating white and black spots on their wings.
This is a female Twelve-spotted Skimmer. Unlike the males, females do not have white spots on their wings.
A newly emerged female Common Whitetail, photographed at Grant Park in Centerville on April 27, 2019.
Another female Twelve-spotted Skimmer, hanging out in the prairie at Sugarcreek MetroPark.
This is another male Twelve-spotted Skimmer. These dragonflies are often seen near ponds and wetlands, but I also find them in prairies and meadows, often a good distance away from the nearest body of water.
Twelve-spotted Skimmers are fairly common in our area. They fly from late May through early October.
A teneral Twelve-spotted Skimmer, lurking in the grass. Notice the long pale stripe along this dragonfly's abdomen. This feature helps to distinguish Twelve-spotted Skimmers from female Common Whitetails (further below). Twelve-spotted Skimmers have an unbroken pale stripe, rather than separated white notches along the abdomen.