Male Widow Skimmer (Libellula luctuosa)

Ari came to visit today and we walked to the pond behind the house...we found some new dragonflies!!!

Pictured here is the Widow Skimmer (Libellula luctuosa) -- it is one of the group of dragonflies known as King Skimmers. The species can be found commonly across much of the United States except in the higher Rocky Mountains areas and in southern Ontario and Quebec.

Adults have a steely blue body area but juveniles are yellow with brown stripes. Wings of both sexes are marked with prominent black basal bands. Adult males develop broad white spots at midwing. The nymphs live in the water, molting and growing until they are ready to emerge from the water and then molting a final time to reveal their wings.