Twelve-spotted Skimmer (Libellula pulchella)

Twelve-spotted Skimmer
Libellula pulchella

The Twelve-spotted Skimmer (Libellula pulchella) is a large, obvious and fairly common dragonfly across the entire U.S. The male has three black patches on each wing; white patches develop between these black patches on mature individuals. Females have a brown thorax with yellow lateral stripes with similar wings to the male but lacking the white patches. The photo of the males shown here were taken in August, 2003, in Sugarcreek, Tuscarawas Co., Ohio with a Canon EOS 10D and EF 70-200 F2.8 L lens with 2X extender and 550 EX flash.


This photo shows a female in Fillmore Co., Minnesota, in July, 2004.
The male Twelve-spotted Skimmer shown here was near Millwood Lake, Howard Co., Arkansas, in September, 2007. It was shot with a Canon EOS 1D Mark III and EF 300mm F/4 L IS lens and 2X extender and 580 flash.
The male Twelve-spotted Skimmer shown here was at Oxford Reservoir, Franklin Co., Idaho, in July, 2008. It was shot with a Canon EOS 1D Mark III and EF 300mm F/4 L IS lens and 2X extender and 580 flash.
The male shown here was along the John Day River near Spray, Wheeler Co., Oregon, in July, 2008. It was shot with a Canon EOS 1D Mark III and EF 300mm F/4 L IS lens and 2X extender and 580 flash.
The next 4 shots of a female Twelve-spotted Skimmer, were taken in Austin, Travis Co., Texas, in September, 2010, with a Canon EOS 1D Mark IV and a Sigma 50-500mm lens and Canon 580 flash.



The next two shots of male Twelve-spotted Skimmers were taken along the Niobrara River, Cherry Co., Nebraska, in July, 2011, with a Canon EOS 1D Mark IV and a Sigma 50-500mm lens and Canon 580 flash.

The male Twelve-spotted Skimmer on the right was in Lampasas, Lampasas Co., Texas, in September, 2011. This shot was taken with a Canon EOS 1D Mark IV and a Sigma 50-500mm lens and Canon 580 flash.
The female Twelve-spotted Skimmer on the right was in Austin, Travis Co., Texas, in October, 2011. This shot was taken with a Canon EOS 1D Mark IV and a Sigma 50-500mm lens and Canon 580 flash.
Twelve-spotted Skimmer Libellula pulchella female Hornsby Bend, Austin, Travis Co., Texas 27 September 2012