Keeled Skimmer - Orthetrum coerulescens
Length: 40 to 44 mm. A slim dragonfly with a pronounced dorsal keel (dark line down the middle of the back). Male: blue body and blue-grey eyes. Female: ochre abdomen and brown eyes.
May be confused with Black-tailed Skimmer and Scarce Chaser. The Keeled Skimmer can be distinguished by its: paler wings spots, yellow costa (leading wing vein), pale antehumeral stripes on the back of the thorax and black keel.
Unless identified by a recognised expert, a photo is required. If the photo doesn't show the key ID features then in the comments box describe the size and identifying characters you have observed.
Pools and streams in wet heathland sites.
May to September.
The species has a very local and patchy distribution in Britain. It is mainly recorded in western Britain and Ireland where it can be locally frequent.
Rarely recorded in Leicestershire and Rutland.
Adrian Baker
Croft, Croft Quarry Nature Trail
19 August 2021
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Species profile
- Common names
- Keeled Skimmer Dragonfly, Keeled Skimmer, Keeled Orthetrum
- Species group:
- Dragonflies and Damselflies
- Kingdom:
- Order:
- Family:
- Records on NatureSpot:
- 1
- First record:
- 19/08/2021 (Baker, Adrian)
- Last record:
- 19/08/2021 (Baker, Adrian)
Total records by month
% of records within its species group
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