Widow Skimmer
Widow Skimmers are very common dragonflies in our area.
Female Widow Skimmers are quite different from the males. They lack the pale blue wing spots. Instead, they have yellow stripes down the sides of their abdomens. This female is shimmering with morning dew.
This is a teneral Widow Skimmer. It had recently emerged from its exuvia at left. Photographed at Cox Arboretum on June 27, 2015.
About two hours later, the teneral Widow Skimmer finally opened its wings. The wings must dry and harden before it can fly away.
Widow Skimmers fly continuously from mid-May through October. My personal early and late dates are May 17th and October 22nd.
This female Widow Skimmer is a little unusual because her wings are almost completely clear. She does not have the typical dark patches on her wings. Photographed at Spring Lakes Park.
Young male Widow Skimmers appear similar to the females before they develop their mature colors.
This is a very newly-emerged Widow Skimmer at Oakes Quarry. The eyes and wing patches are a soft shade of brown in this young individual.
Male Widow Skimmers, like the individual at left, have pale bluish-white spots on their wings.