Deceased Male Blue Skimmer

Orthetrum caledonicumFemale Orthetrum caledonicum Mating Blue Skimmers Deceased Male Blue Skimmer

This deceased male Blue Skimmer was retrieved from a swimming pool in Alice Springs (having reached the end of his life, adult Blue Skimmers live between 1 to 2 weeks).

Many thanks to Jeff Melvaine for the identification of this specimen:

Definitely Orthetrum. Location rules out all but O. caledonicum and O. migratum, but males of the latter mature to a bright red. Colour is slightly odd for male caledonicum, which matures to a soft powder blue (see below), although the brownish veins and slight amber wash in the wingtips are definitely normal.

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Footnote & References

1. Many thanks to Jeff Melvaine for ID and feedback, member of Entomology Australia “Invertebratology”, https://www.facebook.com/groups/507004496955277/

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Orthetrum caledonicumFemale Orthetrum caledonicum Mating Blue Skimmers Deceased Male Blue Skimmer

Dragonflies & DamselfliesDragonfly or Damselfly? Sex Lives and Dragonflies Damselflies Diplacodes haematodes Diplacodes melanopsis (Black-faced Percher) Hemicordulia tau Orthetrum caledonicum Orthetrum migratum Orthetrum villosovittatum

InsectsBees Beetles Blattodea Butterflies Coleoptera Cicada Crabronidae Diptera Dragonflies & Damselflies Formicidae Hemiptera Heteroptera Moths Neuroptera Orthoptera Orthopteroid Processionary Caterpillar Stink Bugs, Shield Bugs and Allies Wasps Water Scorpion (Laccotrephes tristis) Witchetty Grub