Identification, Images, & Information
For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada
 

Register · Log In
HomeGuideID RequestRecentFrassForumsDonateHelp
Clickable Guide
Moths Butterflies Flies Caterpillars Flies Dragonflies Flies Mantids Cockroaches Bees and Wasps Walkingsticks Earwigs Ants Termites Hoppers and Kin Hoppers and Kin Beetles True Bugs Fleas Grasshoppers and Kin Ticks Spiders Scorpions Centipedes Millipedes

Calendar
BugGuide Gathering
Smoky Mountains
University of Tennessee Biological Field Station
August 8-10, 2008
 
Photos from the gathering
 
Photos from the 2007 gathering in Minnesota

TaxonomyBrowseInfoImagesLinksBooksData
Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Dragonflies and Damselflies (Odonata) » Dragonflies (Anisoptera) » Common Skimmers (Libellulidae) » Libellula
Photo#57327
Dragonfly - Libellula - female
Copyright © 2006 jim urbach

Dragonfly - Libellula - Female
Sanford, Seminole County, Florida, USA
May 26, 2006

Images of this individual: tag all
Dragonfly - Libellula Dragonfly - Libellula - female
tag · login or register to post comments
Contributed by jim urbach on 12 June, 2006 - 9:01pm
Last updated 30 June, 2006 - 10:50pm

This is a female
Jim,

According to "Dragonflies of the Florida Peninsula," by Sidney Dunkle, your dragonfly is probably either a Golden Winged Skimmer or a Purple Skimmer. From page 78, "these cannot be separated unless they are seen mating with a male of one or the other species." According to the book either species could be in your area.

Excellent photos!

Loren and Babs Padelford
Bellevue, NE
… Loren & Babs Padelford, 12 June, 2006 - 11:05pm login or register to post comments

 
Yes
Probably not distinguishable from the photos, but it should be noted that Purple Skimmer has very specific habitat requirements, needing very clear sand-bottomed lakes with sparse vegetation, whereas Golden-winged is more of a generalist, so in many cases jesseana can probably be eliminated by making note of the habitat.
… Cliff Bernzweig, 29 April, 2008 - 12:28am login or register to post comments

 
Yes, not much information
out there on female L. jesseana. These will have to sit on the genus page until someone with the ability to tell them apart comes along and explains the differences to all of us.
… john and jane balaban, 9 June, 2007 - 8:24am login or register to post comments

 
Moved
to genus level.
… Lynette Schimming, 30 June, 2006 - 10:51pm login or register to post comments

Comment viewing options
Select your preferred way to display the comments and click 'Save settings' to activate your changes.

Disclaimer: Dedicated naturalists volunteer their time and resources here to provide this service. We strive to provide accurate information, but we are mostly just amateurs attempting to make sense of a diverse natural world. If you need expert professional advice, contact your local extension office.

Contributors own the copyright to and are solely responsible for contributed content.
Click the contributor's name for licensing and usage information.
Everything else copyright © 2003-2008 Iowa State University, unless otherwise noted.

Bugguide is hosted by Iowa State University Entomology.

Printer Friendly Version 		Terms of Use
Privacy Policy
Site Map
Contact