The pied skimmer is a black dragonfly with a bright white or yellow band near the base of its abdomen, so it looks as if it has a gap at the waist. It lives in East Asia, including Japan and Korea, and is not found in the United States.
Appearance
- Appearance
- About 1.6–1.8 in (4–4.5 cm) long. The body is black. Mature males have a creamy white band on the first few segments of the abdomen, while females and young males have yellow there. The hindwings have a dark brown patch at the base.
Where it lives
- Typical habitats
- Ponds
- Marshes
- Park ponds
- Range
- Japan, Korea, Taiwan, China, and northern Vietnam, with records reaching Thailand and northeastern India.
- Preferred conditions
- Prefers still ponds and marshes shaded by trees in lowlands and low hills.
Behavior
- Activity
- Males hover for long periods over a small stretch of water and often fight each other.
Life cycle
- Reproduction
- After mating, the female lays eggs alone, sticking them to floating bits of wood and debris.
- Larva
- Larvae grow in still, shaded ponds and take 1–2 years to become adults.
Conservation
- IUCN Red List
- LCLeast ConcernLow risk of extinction
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