Black-tailed skimmer facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Black-tailed skimmer
Male
Female
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification

The black-tailed skimmer (Orthetrum cancellatum) is a type of dragonfly. It belongs to a family of dragonflies called Libellulidae. These dragonflies are known for their strong flight and often perch in sunny spots.

Where Do Black-tailed Skimmers Live?

This dragonfly is found in many places across Europe and Asia. You can see them throughout Europe, including islands in the Mediterranean Sea. However, they don't live in the far north of Britain or the northern parts of Scandinavia.

The black-tailed skimmer is one of the most common dragonflies in Europe. It is even spreading its range further north. To the east, you can find them all the way to Central Asia, Mongolia, and parts of China and India.

They are very common and their numbers are stable. This means they are not currently in danger. They have even expanded where they live. This is partly because of new gravel pits, which create the open, bare areas they like.

What Kind of Places Do They Like?

Black-tailed skimmers love open water areas. This includes lakes, slow-moving rivers, and ponds. They especially like places with bare ground or rocks along the shore. Males often rest in these sunny spots.

You won't usually find them in areas with lots of thick plants along the water's edge. Females are a bit shyer than males. They are not seen as often.

What Do Black-tailed Skimmers Look Like?

The black-tailed skimmer is a fairly large dragonfly. It measures about 4.7 to 5.3 centimeters long. Its body is quite wide and flat.

Male Dragonflies

Adult males have a beautiful blue or blue-gray body. This color gets darker towards the end of their tail. They also have yellow patches on the sides of their body. Their eyes are a very dark green.

Younger males look different. They have a yellow-brown body with a grid-like pattern. Their wings are clear and see-through.

Female Dragonflies

Adult females are mostly yellow-brown. They have a cool lattice pattern on their tail. This pattern looks like wide, dark brown stripes with bright, crescent-shaped spots. Their wings are also clear.

Wings and Legs

Both males and females have a yellow or black front edge on their wings. The dark spot on their wings, called the pterostigma, is dark brown or black. Their legs are black and brown.

This dragonfly flies fast and low over the water. They are sometimes confused with other similar dragonflies, like the Keeled skimmer.

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  Young male

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  Adult male

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  Young female

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  Adult female

Life Cycle and Behavior

You can mostly see adult black-tailed skimmers flying in June and July. Males like to sit horizontally on open surfaces. They fly quickly and low, skimming the water. They do this to protect their territory from other dragonflies.

Dragonflies mate either while flying or when resting on land. After mating, the female lays her eggs alone. She dips her tail into the water to drop the eggs.

The eggs hatch after about five or six weeks. The young dragonflies, called nymphs, live hidden in the mud and plants at the bottom of the water. They stay there for two or three years before they are ready to become adult dragonflies. Nymphs prefer areas with lots of plants and decaying material at the bottom.

Mating black-tailed skimmers