




Libellula needhami
Needham's Skimmer is a colorful dragonfly with bright orange and yellow wings. They love to fly around ponds and wetlands, catching tiny bugs to eat. Watching them zoom is super fun!
Habitat: Wetlands
The Needham's Skimmer is a medium-sized dragonfly with a striking appearance. Males are bright reddish-orange with orange-tinged wing bases and brown spots near the tips. Females are yellowish with a dark stripe down the back, making them distinct from the males.





Category
InsectsRarity
Common
Danger
1/5 · Very low
Snaps
9
A Needham's Skimmer can eat hundreds of pesky mosquitoes in a single day!
Before becoming an adult, they live underwater as a fierce larva for years.
Their four wings can move separately, letting them perform amazing aerial stunts.
These dragonflies can see almost all around them at once, even behind!
Needham's Skimmer has huge compound eyes that give them nearly 360-degree vision, helping them spot tiny prey.
Needham's Skimmer can hover, fly backward, and change direction instantly because of its independently moving wings.
Needham's Skimmer uses its spiky, basket-like legs to scoop small flying insects right out of the air while flying.
They are skilled aerial hunters, catching tiny flying insects like mosquitoes and flies in mid-air.
Age differences: Nymphs are aquatic predators, feeding on tadpoles and small fish; adults are aerial predators.
Culex pipiens
eats adult mosquitoes in flight
Musca domestica
catches adult flies in mid-air

Agelaius phoeniceus
birds catch adult skimmers

Lithobates catesbeianus
frog preys on nymphs and adults
Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care.
Aerial creatures spend a significant portion of their lives airborne, utilizing flight for various activities such as hunting, migration, or nesting.
Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.
This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates.
This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs.
Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night.
This trait identifies organisms that exhibit exceptional swiftness in movement for hunting, escape, or travel.
Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants.
No aliases listed yet.
Danger
1/5 · Very low
Dragonflies are friendly and won't hurt you, but it's best to watch them from a distance.
The easiest way to identify Needham's Skimmer is to use the Snappit nature identifier app.
60-80 mm
40-50 mm
30-90 days
45 km/h
They are skilled aerial hunters, catching tiny flying insects like mosquitoes and flies in mid-air.
Wetlands
Pursuit
Zoom in to split clusters and explore where this object has been snapped.
Jun 6, 2026
Oakwood CemeteryPhoto attribution
(c) Victor Engel, some rights reserved (CC BY)
License: CC BY 4.0 ↗
Image may be shown cropped inside the card frame.
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Louisiana, US
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