four-spotted skimmer

Four-spotted skimmer is an early season, medium-sized, 1⅝″to 1¾″ long skimmer. Males and females are similar in appearance.

Juveniles and young adults are highly colorful and easily identifiable. The thorax and abdomen are densely covered with short hairs. The upper side of the thorax and abdominal segments 1 through 6 are bright yellowish-brown. Abdominal segments 7 through 10 are black. Each abdominal segment has two narrow yellow spots forming a continuous stripe on each side of the abdomen. The female’s abdomen is tapered like the male’s.

The leading edge of each wing has a broad amber streak with yellow veins, a small black spot at the notch in the middle (nodus), and a dark stigma near the end. The base of each hindwing, where the wing attaches to the thorax, has a triangular black patch with yellow veins. The wings are otherwise clear. The forewing and hindwing triangles are a different size and shape.

The face is yellow. The eyes are brown and meet at the top of the head.

On mature individuals the yellowish-brown areas of the thorax and abdomen become dull grayish-brown and the wings lose most of their amber color.

Eight-spotted skimmer has two large spots on each wing for a total of eight. Twelve-spotted skimmer has three large dark spots on each wing for a total of twelve. Four-spotted skimmer has two small dark spots on each wing and one large spot on each hindwing for a total of ten. A more appropriate name might be ten-spotted skimmer (Libellula decamaculata).

Total length: 1⅝″to 1¾″

Wingspan: 3″

Marshy or boggy lakes and ponds, fens, and slow streams.

Mid-May to September

Adults perch on the top of taller emergent vegetation, twigs, or weeds, often far from water. They launch from their perch to attack prey then return to the same perch. They sometimes forage in swarms over land or water. Males aggressively defend their territory.

Mating takes place in flight and lasts from a few second to about a minute. With the male hovering nearby, the female deposits white eggs, one at a time, by dipping the tip of her abdomen in the water. The eggs soon turn brown and hatch in about five days, depending on water temperature.

Aquatic insect larvae and tadpoles.

Mosquitoes, gnats, midges, and other dragonflies.

Sources

7, 18, 24, 27, 29, 30, 82, 83

Haarstad, J. 1997. The dragonflies of selected eastern Minnesota rivers. Report submitted to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Unpaged.

Biodiversity occurrence data published by: Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas (accessed through the Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas Portal, bellatlas.umn.edu, 7/31/2025).

Common and widespread

Juvenile or young adult

Juvenile or young adult

Juvenile or young adult

Juvenile or young adult

Juvenile or young adult

Juvenile or young adult

Mature adult

Mature adult

Mature adult

Mature adult

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