Broad-bodied Chaser vs Flame Skimmer

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Broad-bodied Chaser Flame Skimmer
Scientific Name Libellula depressa Libellula saturata
Order Odonata Odonata
Family Libellulidae Libellulidae
Size 39-48 mm body length 65-72 mm wingspan
Habitat Gardens Ponds & Lakes
Diet Omnivores Predators
Regions Western Europe, Central Europe, Southern Europe North America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Broad-bodied Chaser

A stocky dragonfly with a distinctly flattened, broad abdomen that is powder-blue in males and golden-brown in females. It is often the first dragonfly to colonise new garden ponds.

💡

Did You Know?

It can appear at a new garden pond within days of it being filled with water.

Flame Skimmer

A brilliantly red-orange dragonfly found in the southwestern United States and Mexico. Males are unmistakable with their entirely flame-colored body and wings.

💡

Did You Know?

Flame skimmers are frequently attracted to swimming pools and hot tubs, which they mistake for warm natural springs ideal for breeding.