Error message
Unable to fetch location details at this time.
Common Whitetail Dragonfly
Libellula lydia
33.3393, -81.8407
Field Notes
Description:
The male's chunky white body (about 5 cm long), combined with the brownish-black bands on its otherwise translucent wings, give it a checkered look. Females (like this one) have a brown body and a different pattern of wing spots, closely resembling that of female Libellula pulchella, the Twelve-spotted Skimmer. Whitetail females can be distinguished by their smaller size, shorter bodies, and white zigzag abdominal stripes; the abdominal stripes of L. puchella are straight and yellow.
Habitat:
Common dragonfly across much of North America; The Common Whitetail can be seen hawking for mosquitoes and other small flying insects over ponds, marshes, and slow-moving rivers in most regions except the higher mountain regions. This one was photographed at the Silver Bluff Audubon Center near Jackson (Aiken County), SC.
Comments (0)
Be the first to comment
Sign in to comment