Stats

Lifespan

A few months

Size

Medium

Diet

Insectivore

Activity

Diurnal

Social

Solitary

Biome

Freshwater wetland

Range

The Americas

Movement

Flight

Breeding

Egg-laying

Defense

Speed

Status

Common

About

The Roseate Skimmer is a dragonfly of ponds and slow streams across the southern Americas, named for the vivid rose-pink to magenta hue that mature males develop over their abdomen and thorax. Females and juveniles are duller tan or reddish-brown, and the species has also become established as an introduced resident in Hawaii.

Life cycle

1. 1.
   egg

   A small egg is laid on or near the larval food source and hatches within days or weeks.
2. 2.
   juvenile

   An immature insect feeds and molts, growing through successive instars.
3. 3.
   subadult

   A near-adult insect has wing buds or near-mature form, one molt away from full size.
4. 4.
   adult

   Fully grown, with full wings and adult coloration.

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Taxonomy

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Insecta

Order

Odonata

Family

Libellulidae

Genus

Orthemis

Species

Orthemis ferruginea