Dragonfly: Slaty Skimmer (Libellula incesta)

The Slaty Skimmers have two favorite spots at our place. One is a patch of vegetation behind the greenhouse and the other is an area at the end of the field near the road. There are plenty of stems to use as perches to soak up the suns’ warmth.

This female particularly liked a dead stem behind the butterfly bush near the road (top) and this stem of the young gingko tree (below). He returned to them repeatedly.

This female preferred stems of plants behind the greenhouse.

The Slaty Skimmers have been amongst the most tolerant of being photographed. It is interesting that they seem to recognize a person as a threat but if I hold a camera in front of me as I approach them, they are less likely to be spooked. I can often extend my camera out at arms length and get quite close to them and take macro photographs of them.

Identification resources:
- Dragonflies of Georgia: Slaty Skimmer (Libellula incesta)
- BugGuide: Slaty Skimmer (Libellula incesta) [Male] [Female]
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