Fiery skimmer facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Fiery skimmer |
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| A male fiery skimmer, Cairns | |
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| Female | |
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The fiery skimmer (scientific name: Orthetrum villosovittatum) is a type of dragonfly. It belongs to a family of dragonflies called Libellulidae. These amazing insects are known for their bright colors and fast flying.
About the Fiery Skimmer
What Do They Look Like?
The fiery skimmer is a medium-sized dragonfly. Its wings can spread out between 60 and 85 millimeters wide. That's about the length of a credit card!
Adult male fiery skimmers have a dark grey or greenish-brown body part called a thorax. Their abdomen (the long tail part) is a bright red. This abdomen is a bit narrower at the fourth segment. Younger males look different; they are amber and black. Female fiery skimmers are a yellowish-brown color, which is called ochre.
Where Do They Live?
You can find fiery skimmers in many places. They live in the Moluccas, New Guinea, and other nearby islands. They also live all over Australia.
In Australia, they are found in Victoria, eastern New South Wales, and Queensland. You can also spot them in northern inland Queensland, the Cape York Peninsula, and the northern Northern Territory. They are quite common in most of these areas.
Their Home
Fiery skimmers like to live near water. They often make their homes in wet, muddy areas called boggy seepages. You can also find them near small streams and in swamps. These watery places are perfect for them to hunt and lay their eggs.
Gallery
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Female face on
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Male face on
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Female
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Male
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Young males are an orange colour
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Female side view
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Male side view
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Young male side view
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Resting with wings held forward
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Female looking to deposit her eggs in a pond
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Male tail
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Mating pair
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Female wings
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Male wings
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