The Twelve-spotted Skimmer is a large, conspicuous dragonfly with 12 dark brown spots on its wings (three per wing) and additional white spots in males, making it unmistakable. It is a strong flier often seen far from water and is one of the most frequently observed dragonflies across North America. Males have a perch-and-patrol territory defense behavior.
Best time to see a Twelve-spotted Skimmer
The best time to see a Twelve-spotted Skimmer is June–July, when about 65% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 23,051 research-grade iNaturalist observations.
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Recent Twelve-spotted Skimmer sightings near you
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