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Project Noah Nature School
Plathemis lydia
This male skimmer has translucent wings with brown bands. Its' abdomen (unlike female's of this species) is white which is a result of pruinosity (a white substance that develops) giving the skimmer a body that is white in color. Females have a brown abdomen that has white stripes that are in a zig zag pattern, and are smaller. Ref: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_whi...
Ponds, streams, areas where muddy water is present, shallow water areas., marshes, creeks, lakes,and slow moving rivers.
A student that loves to take nature walks during recess spotted this skimmer. We were lucky to have it land long enough to take a few photos. Interesting Facts: Males are territorial and can guard an area of 180 sq. yards when protecting a female. Life cycle: egg, nymph, adult (adults live about two months, but their larval stage can last up to two years). They are carnivores eating mayfly larvae, crayfish, minnows, and insects...in turn they are a food source for fish, frogs, birds, and even other dragonflies! Ref: https://oepos.ca.uky.edu/content/common-... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_whi... https://www.insectidentification.org/ins...
Spotted on May 9, 2019
Submitted on May 12, 2019
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