Twelve-Spotted Skimmer vs Blue Hawker
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Twelve-Spotted Skimmer | Blue Hawker |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Libellula pulchella | Aeshna caerulea |
| Order | Odonata | Odonata |
| Family | Libellulidae | Aeshnidae |
| Size | 65-75 mm wingspan | 54-64mm |
| Habitat | Ponds & Lakes | Heathland |
| Diet | Predators | Predators |
| Regions | North America | Europe |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Near Threatened |
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.
Did You Know?
Despite the name twelve-spotted, mature males actually have 24 wing markings when the white pruinose spots are included.
Blue Hawker
A small hawker dragonfly with bright blue spots on males and yellow spots on females. It is restricted to high-altitude bogs and moorlands in northern latitudes. It tolerates very cold conditions.
Did You Know?
It breeds in some of the coldest and most inhospitable habitats of any European dragonfly, flying in near-freezing conditions.