Eight-spotted skimmer

The eight-spotted skimmer (Libellula forensis) is a dragonfly of the skimmer family. It has the standard skimmer body form and takes its name from the eight black markings on its wings. It resembles the twelve-spotted skimmer but lacks the black markings on the wing tips of that species. Males are additionally marked with a total of eight opaque white spots. The species can be found west of the Rocky Mountains near ponds and lakes with muddy bottoms. East of the Sierra Nevada Mountains some females may also have white spots, which makes them the only female dragonflies in North America with white spots on the wings. The total length is 44 to 50 millimetres, and the flight season runs from April through October.