It’s high summer and the larger dragonflies are starting to come out. Here you see a male 12-spotted skimmer approaching a cattail head that is his favorite hunting perch. They’re known for their territorial behavior and the trait of returning quickly to their perch after being disturbed.
Many call these insects “10-spotted” skimmers because they count only the 10 light spots on the wings of the males. However, the insect naming powers counted the three dark spots on each of this species’ four wings – on those of both males and females -- and decided 12 was better than 10 as names go. (Images taken in Brooklin, Maine, on July 5, 2025.)