Hairy Dragonfly vs Neon Skimmer

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Hairy Dragonfly Neon Skimmer
Scientific Name Brachytron pratense Libellula croceipennis
Order Odonata Odonata
Family Aeshnidae Libellulidae
Size 54-63mm 48-55 mm
Habitat Wetlands Ponds & Lakes
Diet Predators Omnivores
Regions Europe North America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Hairy Dragonfly

The earliest-emerging hawker dragonfly in Europe, with a distinctively hairy thorax. Males have blue and green markings on a dark body. It flies along ditches and reed-fringed waterways.

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Did You Know?

It emerges up to two months earlier than other hawkers, giving it exclusive access to spring insect prey.

Neon Skimmer

A brilliantly red dragonfly of the American Southwest with amber-tinted wings. Males are an intense fluorescent red that seems to glow in sunlight.

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Did You Know?

Its neon-red coloring is so vivid that it appears to fluoresce in bright sunlight.