Slaty Skimmer vs Bladetail

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Slaty Skimmer Bladetail
Scientific Name Libellula incesta Lindenia tetraphylla
Order Odonata Odonata
Family Libellulidae Gomphidae
Size 45-52 mm 55-65 mm
Habitat Ponds & Lakes Ponds & Lakes
Diet Omnivores Predators
Regions North America Europe, Asia, Africa
Conservation Least Concern Vulnerable

Slaty Skimmer

A dark, slate-blue dragonfly of eastern North America. Mature males are uniformly dark blue-black, making them distinctive at ponds.

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Did You Know?

It is one of the few North American dragonflies where males are almost entirely dark blue-black.

Bladetail

A large gomphid dragonfly with leaf-shaped abdominal expansions at the tail.

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Did You Know?

It has declined dramatically due to loss of large natural lakes in the Mediterranean.