119. Southern Skimmer  –  Orthetrum brunneum –  European Dragonfly photo

The Southern Skimmer ( Orthetrum brunneum ) is more easily found around the Mediterranean although it has been extending its range northwards. It perches on the ground, or small branches hanging over the water, rather more frequently than other Orthetrums. It also prefers smaller streams.

KEY I/D FEATURES

This is a plain Skimmer with few distinguishing features. The males appear almost completely blue, including the thorax and the frons which is a very pale blue as shown in photographs three and five. The body does seem rather broader than the Keeled Skimmer – Orthetrum coerulescens. The pterostigma are smaller and brown.

Females are yellow-brown and similar to the males seem a little larger than O. coerulescens. There is a thin dorsal line down the abdomen with pairs of dots in front of the division of each segment.