common whitetail

(Plathemis lydia)

Conservation Status
common whitetail
 
  IUCN Red List

not listed

 
  NatureServe

N5 - Secure

SNR - Unranked

 
  Minnesota

not listed

 
           
           
 
Description
 
 

On the mature male the entire abdomen is covered with a white powdery bloom (pruinose).

On the female, the lateral white line on the abdomen is broken and zig-zagged.

 
     
 

Size

 
 

Total length: 1½ to 1

 
     
 

Similar Species

 
  Twelve-spotted skimmer (Libellula pulchella) lateral white line on the female abdomen is solid and straight.  
     
 
Habitat
 
 

Still or slow moving water with a muddy bottom; ponds, lakes, stream pools, marshes.

 
     
 
Biology
 
 

Season

 
 

Mid-May to late September

 
     
 

Behavior

 
 

 

 
     
 

Life Cycle

 
 

 

 
     
 

Naiad Food

 
 

Insects and tadpoles

 
     
 

Adult Food

 
 

Mosquitoes, flies, and other flying insects, including smaller dragonflies

 
     
 
Distribution
 
 

Distribution Map

 

Sources

7, 17, 18, 24, 27, 29, 30, 82.

 
  6/23/2022      
         
 

Occurrence

 
 

Common

 
         
 
Taxonomy
 
 

Order

Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies)  
 

Suborder

Epiprocta  
  Infraorder Anisoptera (dragonflies)  
 

Superfamily

Libelluloidea  
 

Family

Libellulidae (skimmers)  
 

Genus

Plathemis (whitetails)  
       
 

Synonyms

 
 

Libellula lydia

 
       
 

Common Names

 
 

common whitetail

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Glossary

Pruinescence

A waxy or powdery bloom that covers the underlying coloration and gives a dusty or frosty appearance.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
Visitor Photos
 
           
 

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Dallas

 
    common whitetail   common whitetail  
           
    common whitetail      
 

Alfredo Colon

 
    common whitetail   common whitetail  
 

Kirk Nelson

 
    common whitetail   common whitetail  
           
 
MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos
 
 

Adult Male

 
    common whitetail   common whitetail  
           
    common whitetail   common whitetail  
           
    common whitetail      
           
 

Juvenile Male

 
    common whitetail      
           
 

Adult Female

 
    common whitetail   common whitetail  

 

Camera

     
 
Slideshows
 
Common Whitetail Dragonfly
Andree Reno Sanborn
  Common Whitetail Dragonfly  
 
About

Libellula lydia, Plathemis lydia

 
Platythemis lydia (Common Whitetail)
Allen Chartier
  Plathemis lydia (Common Whitetail)  
Common Whitetail
Victor Fazio
  Common Whitetail  

 

slideshow

       
 
Visitor Videos
 
       
 

Share your video of this insect.

 
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Attach a video, a YouTube link, or a cloud storage link.
 
 

Leah Starks

 
  Common Whitetail
Published on Jul 5, 2019
 
   
 
About

female in Burnsville, MN

   
       
 
Other Videos
 
  Common Whitetail Dragonfly (Libellulidae: Plathemis lydia) Male, Close-up
Carl Barrentine
 
   
 
About

Published on Jun 19, 2012

Photographed at Grand Forks, North Dakota (19 June 2012).

 
  Common Whitetail Dragonfly (Libellulidae: Plathemis lydia) Female on Branch
Carl Barrentine
 
   
 
About

Uploaded on Jul 9, 2011

Photographed at the Turtle River State Park, North Dakota (08 July 2011). Thank you to 'DeeDee' (@Bugguide.net) for confirming the identity of this specimen!

 
  Common Whitetail (Libellulidae: Plathemis lydia) Female
Carl Barrentine
 
   
 
About

Uploaded on Jun 20, 2010

Photographed at Grand Forks, North Dakota (19 June 2010).

 

 

Camcorder

 
 
Visitor Sightings
 
           
 

Report a sighting of this insect.

 
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Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com.
Be sure to include a location.
 
  Ann
7/2/2022

Location: Buhl, Mn

 
  KJW
6/22/2022

Location: My backyard, Otsego, MN

Couldn't get my phone out fast enough to get a picture!

 
  Dallas
6/24/2021

Location: Owatonna, Mn.

common whitetail  
  Alfredo Colon
10/16/2019

Location: Woodbury, MN

common whitetail  
  Robyn
8/5/2018

Location: Ney Nature Center pond, Henderson, MN 

   
  Kirk Nelson
5/22/2016

Location: Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge, Long Meadow Lake Unit

Common Whitetail, seen near the stream that flows by the Bass Ponds Interpretive Trail

common whitetail  
           
 
MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings
 
   

 

 

Binoculars


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