Blue Skimmer: Young Male, dorsal

Class:

Animals (Animalia) - Jointed Legs (Arthropoda) - Insects (Insecta) iNaturalist Observation

Order:

Dragonflies (Odonata)

Family:

Skimmer (Epiprocta: Libellulidae)

Species:

Blue Skimmer (Orthetrum caledonicum)

This Photo:

Young Male, dorsal

General Species Information:
Found on Ellura (in the Murray Mallee, SA), the Adelaide Hills and elsewhere
These can be difficult to distinguish as both genders are yellow and black when young. As they age they turn blue. The males go a bright, light sky blue; the females become grey blue.
All males have 3 longer appendages on the rear, the females 2 shorter appendages.
If you are able to take a ventral photo, the males have additional genetals near the join between body & tail. This is what the female connects to when they are mating.

This species is

Australian Native Species, not listed in the SA Murray Mallee Survey of 2010.

		<<< Previous Species Wandering Percher Female, anterior		Next >>> Blue Skimmer Young Male, profile
			Animals Birds Bugs....... Ants, Bees, Flies & Wasps Beetles, Coachroaches & True Bugs Dragonflies, Mantids & Netwings Hoppers Moths & Butterflies Other Bugs Spiders, Scorpions, Mites & Ticks Frogs Mammals Reptiles Other Contact Did You Know?............. about Antennae about Bites about Cold Blooded about Eyes about Skin about Tools about Wings Help Home Introduced Species Status Plants Fungi Mistletoe Small Plants........ Daisies Mosses & Liverworts Orchids Other Small Plants Small Bluebush & Saltbush Shrubs & Bushes Trees Key - Buds Key - Flowers Search Complete List Google What's New