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Four Spotted Skimmer

All That Glitters is Not Gold

A Four-Spotted Skimmer  resting on a dwarf bleeding heart (Dicentra x 'Luxuriant').
A Four-Spotted Skimmer resting on a dwarf bleeding heart (Dicentra x 'Luxuriant').

A FOUR-SPOTTED SKIMMER

 

This beautiful dragonfly is found around the world in the northern hemisphere.  It is known as the Four-Spotted Skimmer (Libellula quadrimaculata) in North America, and as the Four-Spotted Chaser in Europe and Japan. 

 

Question: What is the state insect of Alaska?...

 

 You guessed correctly... the Four-Spotted Skimmer.


Interesting Facts About Dragonflies From Wikipedia

  • Some 5680 different species of dragonflies are known in the world today.
  • Dragonflies are valuable predators that eat mosquitoes, and other small insects.
  • Dragonflies are some of the fastest insects in the world. In general, large dragonflies have a maximum speed of 10–15 metres per second (22–34 mph).
  • In some parts of the world dragonflies are a food source, eaten either as adults or larvae. 
  • In the United States Dragonflies and Damselflies are sought out as a hobby similar to birding and butterflying, known as oding, from the dragonfly's Latin species name, odonata. Oding is especially popular in Texas, where 225 different species of odonates have been observed.