Twelve-spotted Skimmer

Notes:

This is a large, handsome, brown skimmer found in all 48 contiguous United States. Its distinct wing pattern of dark brown or black wing spots, basally, at the nodus and at the wingtips, will readily distinguish it from most dragonflies in the region. The face is dull yellowish-brown. The thorax is brown and lacks a middorsal stripe; laterally there are a pair of pale yellowish-stripes. The wings are spotted with dark brown or black bands as mentioned above. The mature males develops two white spots in each forewing and three in each hindwing, resulting in their traditional common name the "ten spot." It has more recently been given the name "twelve spot" to represent the more conspicuous brown spots of each wing. The legs are brown at their extreme bases and black beyond. The abdomen is brown with a broad pale yellow uninterrupted stripe on each side and a narrower one along the middorsal carina. The caudal appendages are brown, darkening with age. Females have a slight lateral exp ansion of abdominal segment 8.