# Slaty Skimmer (*Libellula incesta*) The Slaty Skimmer is a beautiful dragonfly with shiny blue wings. It loves to fly around ponds and lakes, where it catches tiny insects to eat. - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 23 - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![Slaty Skimmer](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Slaty_Skimmer.jpg&width=800) Photo: D. Gordon E. Robertson, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Slaty_Skimmer.jpg) ## Appearance The Slaty Skimmer is a medium to large dragonfly, known for its deep, powdery blue-gray body in mature males, giving it a 'slaty' appearance. Immature males and females are a dull yellowish-brown. Its wings have notably dark veins and often a faint dark streak at the base of the hindwings. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Odonata - **Family:** Libellulidae - **Genus:** Libellula ## Interesting facts - Baby Slaty Skimmers live underwater for up to two years before transforming! - Dragonflies can move each of their four wings independently, allowing for incredible flight tricks! - Sometimes, they'll perch on warm rocks to soak up sunshine and get energized! - Their large compound eyes have thousands of tiny lenses for amazing all-around vision! ## Special abilities - **Aerobatic Hunter:** Slaty Skimmer can catch flying insects mid-air using its keen eyesight and agile flight, helping them secure food. - **Color Changer:** Slaty Skimmer has special pruinescence that turns its body from brown to powdery blue-gray, signaling its readiness to mate. - **Water Cleaner:** Slaty Skimmer larvae live underwater and munch on mosquito larvae, helping to keep aquatic environments healthy. - **Stealthy Ambush:** Slaty Skimmer larvae can camouflage themselves in pond muck, quickly ambushing prey that swims too close. ## Measurements & details - **Wingspan:** 70-86 mm - **Size:** 45-58 mm - **Lifespan:** 30-180 days - **Flight Speed:** 45 km/h - **Leg Count:** 6 ## Diet & Feeding These speedy hunters snatch up smaller insects right out of the air for a tasty meal! - **Age differences:** Larvae (nymphs) are aquatic ambush predators, eating insect larvae and small aquatic creatures; adults hunt flying insects. - **Primary Foods:** Mosquitoes, Flies, Midges, Smaller moths, Gnats - **Foraging Method:** Pursuit ## Ecological connections - **Hunts:** Common House Mosquito (*Culex pipiens*) — Larvae actively hunt and eat their aquatic larvae. - **Eaten by:** [American Bullfrog](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-bullfrog) (*Lithobates catesbeianus*) — Adult Slaty Skimmers are prey for larger frogs. - **Eaten by:** [Eastern Kingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-kingbird) (*Tyrannus tyrannus*) — Birds catch adult dragonflies in mid-air. - **Hunts:** [Fruit Fly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/fruit-fly) (*Drosophila melanogaster*) — Adults actively pursue and eat small flying insects. ## Traits - [Aerial](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aerial): Aerial creatures spend a significant portion of their lives airborne, utilizing flight for various activities such as hunting, migration, or nesting. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Insectivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/insectivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates. - [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wetland): 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](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Freshwater](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/freshwater): Freshwater habitats include non-saline aquatic environments such as rivers, lakes, ponds, and wetlands, vital for numerous species. - [Speedster](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/speedster): This trait identifies organisms that exhibit exceptional swiftness in movement for hunting, escape, or travel. - [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants. ## Collections - [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/insects) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Dragonflies are harmless, but it's best to watch them from a distance. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Slaty Skimmer? Compare wing shape and resting posture, where the eyes sit, body markings and the tail segments. Males and females can look very different in color. Dragonfly Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### What is Slaty Skimmer's wingspan? 70-86 mm ### How big is Slaty Skimmer? 45-58 mm ### How long does Slaty Skimmer live? 30-180 days ### How fast can Slaty Skimmer fly? 45 km/h ### What does Slaty Skimmer eat? These speedy hunters snatch up smaller insects right out of the air for a tasty meal! ### Where is Slaty Skimmer usually found? Wetlands ### How does Slaty Skimmer hunt? Pursuit ## Where to spot - [Ames Nowell State Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/ames-nowell-state-park) — Massachusetts, US · State Park - [Camp Misty Mount Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/camp-misty-mount-historic-district) — Maryland, US · Historic District - [Cape Charles Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cape-charles-historic-district) — US · Historic District - [Chadwick Arboretum](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/chadwick-arboretum) — Ohio, US · Botanical Garden - [Circleville Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/circleville-historic-district) — Ohio, US · Historic District - [Concord Monument Square-Lexington Road Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/concord-monument-square-lexington-road-historic-district) — Massachusetts, US · Historic District [View all places to see Slaty Skimmer](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/slaty-skimmer) ## More Insects - [Common Eastern Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*) - [Spotted Lanternfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spotted-lanternfly) (*Lycorma delicatula*) - [Brown-belted Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-belted-bumble-bee) (*Bombus griseocollis*) - [Eastern Carpenter Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-carpenter-bee) (*Xylocopa virginica*) --- Source: [Slaty Skimmer: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/slaty-skimmer)