Banded Groundling vs Twelve-Spotted Skimmer

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Banded Groundling Twelve-Spotted Skimmer
Scientific Name Brachythemis leucosticta Libellula pulchella
Order Odonata Odonata
Family Libellulidae Libellulidae
Size 28-35 mm 65-75 mm wingspan
Habitat Ponds & Lakes Ponds & Lakes
Diet Omnivores Predators
Regions Africa North America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Banded Groundling

A small, dark African dragonfly with distinctive banded wings. Males develop a pruinose black body while females retain brown coloring.

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Did You Know?

It perches flat on bare ground and rocks, using its dark wings as a territorial signal.

Twelve-Spotted Skimmer

A showy dragonfly with three dark spots on each wing, totaling twelve. Mature males develop additional white spots between the dark ones.

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Did You Know?

Despite the name twelve-spotted, mature males actually have 24 wing markings when the white pruinose spots are included.