The common whitetail or long-tailed skimmer is a common dragonfly across much of North America. The male's chunky white body (about 5 cm or 2 inches long). Whitetail females can be distinguished by their smaller size, shorter bodies, and white zigzag abdominal stripes.
The common whitetail can be seen hawking for mosquitoes and other small flying insects over ponds.
Like all perchers, common whitetails often rest on objects near the water, and sometimes on the ground. Males are territorial, holding a 33 to 98 stretch of the water's edge, and patrolling it to drive off other males.
Bellingham, Washington, is where I've always called home. Raised amidst its beauty, I've found profound joy in capturing life's moments through my lens. My family,...
