Widow Skimmer
Encyclopedia
The Widow Skimmer 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 stipes. 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.
Dragonfly
A dragonfly is a winged insect belonging to the order Odonata, the suborder Epiprocta or, in the strict sense, the infraorder Anisoptera . It is characterized by large multifaceted eyes, two pairs of strong transparent wings, and an elongated body...
known as King Skimmers. The species can be found commonly across much of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
except in the higher Rocky Mountains
Rocky Mountains
The Rocky Mountains are a major mountain range in western North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch more than from the northernmost part of British Columbia, in western Canada, to New Mexico, in the southwestern United States...
areas and in southern Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
and Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
. Adults have a steely blue body area but juveniles are yellow with brown stipes. 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.