Invertebrates
Widow Skimmer
Libellula luctuosa · also called widow skimmers
A mature male widow skimmer patrols the same stretch of pond shoreline day after day, bold black wing bands flashing with each pass, chasing off any rival male that dares to cross into water he has already claimed as his own.
Overview
The widow skimmer, Libellula luctuosa, is a common, boldly patterned dragonfly found around freshwater ponds, lakes, and slow-moving streams across much of the United States and southern Canada. Its distinctive black-banded wings and a common name rooted in an old, inaccurate folk belief make it one of the more visually and linguistically interesting dragonflies found at any calm pond.
A name that outlived the myth behind it
Long after the specific folk belief that inspired its name faded from memory, the widow skimmer kept the name anyway, a reminder of how a striking wing pattern and an old story can end up outlasting the actual biology they were meant to describe.
Status
Least Concern — widespread and common across suitable freshwater habitat throughout much of the United States and southern Canada.
Widow Skimmer: common questions
Why is it called the widow skimmer?
The common name widow skimmer reportedly comes from an old folk belief that males abandon females after mating, an idea that isn't actually supported by the species' real breeding behaviour, but the name stuck regardless and remains in common use today despite not reflecting an accurate description of the dragonfly's actual habits.
How can you tell a mature male widow skimmer from a female?
Mature male widow skimmers develop extra pale, whitish wing patches beyond the bold black bands found at the base of each wing, a feature that appears with age, making older males visually distinct from females and from younger males that have not yet developed the additional patches.
Do widow skimmers defend a territory?
Yes, a male widow skimmer defends a stretch of shoreline territory against rival males during the breeding season, patrolling the area regularly and chasing off intruders, a common territorial behaviour shared among many skimmer dragonfly species.
Where does the widow skimmer live?
The widow skimmer is native to freshwater pond, lake, and slow-stream habitat across much of the United States and southern Canada, making it one of the more commonly encountered dragonfly species around calm freshwater habitat within its range.