Flame skimmer
Mature males turn entirely red, from their eyes and legs to the veins running through their wings, a rare full-body flush among dragonflies.
| Where | Ponds, slow streams and hot springs |
|---|---|
| Size | 49 to 61 mm body length |
| When | April to October |
The Flame skimmer is a stocky, red-orange dragonfly with a body length of about 49 to 61 mm. Males are red throughout, including the eyes, legs and wing veins, while females and young males are duller brown with fine yellow markings.
Adults perch on low twigs near warm ponds, slow streams and hot springs, darting out to catch prey and returning to the same lookout. Males defend these perches against rival males and other red dragonflies through much of the flight season.
Traits
Habitat
Wetland
Colour
Red, Orange, Brown
Active
Day
To people
Territorial toward other dragonflies but harmless to people.
Activity through the year
Often confused with
Shows less orange in the wings and lacks the dark stripe at the hindwing base that marks the Flame skimmer.
Questions
Is the Flame skimmer dangerous to people?
Territorial toward other dragonflies but harmless to people.
When can you see the Flame skimmer?
The Flame skimmer can be seen from April to October, by day.
Plate retouched from a photo by Katja Schulz, CC BY 4.0, iNaturalist Licence
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Dragonflies and damselflies›Skimmers›Libellula
Last updated 2026-09-27. Every entry is checked against published sources.