Widow Skimmer

Photo of a Widow Skimmer dragonfly, male
Scientific Name
Libellula luctuosa
Family
Libellulidae (skimmers) in the order Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies)
Description

The widow skimmer has distinctive dark wing markings that seem like mourning garb. Females and young males usually have brownish wingtips, and the abdomen has a brown stripe down the center flanked by two yellow stripes. Mature males have white areas in the center of their wings, beside the dark patches.

Learn more about the widow skimmer and other dragonflies (suborder Anisoptera) in their group entry.

Media Gallery
Photo of a Widow Skimmer dragonfly, male
The widow skimmer, Libellula luctuosa, has distinctive dark wing markings that seem like mourning garb. Mature males have white areas in the center of their wings, beside the dark patches.
Donna Brunet
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Photo of a Widow Skimmer dragonfly, female
Females and young male widow skimmers usually have brownish wingtips, and the abdomen has a brown stripe down the center flanked by two yellow stripes.
Donna Brunet
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Widow Dragonfly
Noppadol Paothong
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Widow Dragonfly
Noppadol Paothong
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Photo of a Widow Skimmer dragonfly, male
Photo of a Widow Skimmer dragonfly, female
Widow Dragonfly
Widow Dragonfly
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About Land Invertebrates in Missouri
Invertebrates are animals without backbones, including earthworms, slugs, snails, and arthropods. Arthropods—invertebrates with “jointed legs” — are a group of invertebrates that includes crayfish, shrimp, millipedes, centipedes, mites, spiders, and insects. There may be as many as 10 million species of insects alive on earth today, and they probably constitute more than 90 percent all animal species.