Needham's Skimmer

Needham’s skimmer by our unofficial observations ranks among the most common dragonflies in South Florida. It is seemingly everywhere.

Scientifically know as Libellula needhami, it’s found throughout the eastern United States as far north as Maine, as far south as Florida and as far west as Texas. It particularly likes coastal areas.

It is fairly large as dragonflies go at about 2.1 inches long with large reddish-brown eyes. Males have a bright red face, reddish-brown thorax (the segment behind the head), a reddish-orange abdomen (the third segment) with a black stripe along the back. The stigma — a narrow, horizontal spot on each wing — is red.

Females and immature males have a brown face and thorax with a pale stripe along the back of the thorax. The abdomen is yellow with a black stripe along the back.

They’re similar in looks to the golden-winged skimmer but only a portion of the veins in the wings of Needham’s skimmer have a bright orange color while those of its cousin have it throughout. If that makes sense.



The other difference between Needham’s and golden-winged skimmers is habitat. Needham’s are more likely to be found in coastal areas, less likely inland. Golden-winged skimmers are just the opposite, more likely inland, less likely in coastal areas.

Needham’s skimmers are terrestrial animals but start their life in water. They go through multiple instar stages before emerging as adults. Though living on land, they’ll remain near water — marshes, swamps, ponds, lakes and ditches, fresh or brackish — where they’ll mate.

As larvae and as adults, Needham’s skimmers are hunters, feeding on aquatic larvae and other watery creatures in their youth, picking off insects while in flight as adults.

Males are territorial and will perch on vegetation near water.

The Needham in Needham’s skimmer is James George Needham, an American entomologist, Cornell University professor and expert on dragonflies and other water insects. After retiring in 1936, he moved to Florida and studied dragonflies at the Archbold Biological Station in Central Florida. Needham died in 1957 at the age of 91.

Needham’s skimmers are members of Libellulidae, the family of skimmer dragonflies.