Species account

Keeled Skimmer (Orthetrum coerulescens)    (Fabricius, 1798)
   Skimmers (Libellulidae) [Dragonflies]    KESK    24822
Lille Blåpil (dk)   Centinela Cobalto (es)   Mindre Sjötrollslända (se)  
Synonyms (common):
Heathland Skimmer (uk) Libélula Cobalto (es) Liten Sjötrollslända (se)
Synonyms (scientific):
Libellula vulgata Scopoli, 1763 (nec Linnaeus, 1758)
Libellula biguttata Donovan, 1808
Libellula opalina Charpentier, 1825
Orthetrum coerulescens minor Vander Linden, 1825
Libellula donovani Stephens, 1835
Libellula olympia Fonscolombe, 1837
Libellula dubia Rambur, 1842 (nec Vander Linden, 1825)
Libellula anceps Schneider, 1845
Libellula ramburii Selys, 1848
Orthetrum translatum Bartenev, 1929
Orthetrum helena Buchholz, 1954
Subspecies
coerulescens
Central and northern Europe. Characteristics only from male secondary genitalia.
anceps
S Europe and Mediterranean region toward the east. Characteristics only from male secondary genitalia.
Measurements:
To 36-45mm Ab 23-28mm Hw 28-37mm (Billqvist 2019+2023 has Hw 33-37mm and Dijkstra & Schröter 2020 has it to 28-33mm!?)
Generations:
Identification:
Similar species:
Life stages:
The mating wheel is established in flight and the mating then takes place in vegetation up to 25 minutes. The solo flying female then drops the eggs into the shallow water or by dipping the tail into the surface or wet mud. The male often watches over her while doing so. The eggs hatch after 5-6 weeks and the larvae live at the bottom in-between rotten plants or the mud, and develop during 2 years. Imago-transformation takes place near the shore, on rocks or in vegetation.
Distribution: (?):Altitude is often taken from a specific localized resource, why the true entire range very likely is wider.
Most of Europe; absent parts of British Isles, the northern part of Fennoscandinavia. Localized Baltic states and near-european Russia. Also present N Africa and patchily Turkey and the Middle East through WC Asian states to west of China. In Denmark mainly present in central Jylland.
Habitat:
Behavior:
Endemic:
Status:
Historically the species has probably been absent from Denmark. Around the beginning of the previous century there were only few records from the region between Varde and silkeborg, Jylland. And it was not until 2006 that the species was rediscovered - this also in Jylland. Since then it has been expanding steadily. Mainly northward through Jylland with the stronghold being the central and westcentral part of the peninsula. It has reached north of Limfjorden with a few records so far, and Fyn too. In 2023 a single male was found on Lolland giving promise to a further expansion up through the eastern part of the country. 2 undocumented records from respectively Helsingør and Høje-Taastrup listed in Danmarks Miljøportals Naturdatabase sound dubious (no evidence), as they occurred back in 2009 and 2011 before the species started the Danish expansion. This said, there have been a sound population in Sweden nearby, why, of course it can't be ruled out that animals have traveled from there to Sjælland.
Comment:
Keeled Skimmer 1740    (3 photos)
2023-07-08    Jenskær (Silkeborg), Denmark

Imago Male
New dk species. I think I would have expected it to be found in a drier habitat than here in the lush vegetation along a running stream. Here quickly consuming a fly of some sort.



Keeled Skimmer 1741    (2 photos)
2023-07-08    Jenskær (Silkeborg), Denmark

Imago Male




Keeled Skimmer 1742    (3 photos)
2023-07-08    Jenskær (Silkeborg), Denmark

Imago Male




Keeled Skimmer 3279    (1 photos)
2025-06-21    Björkadammen (Skåne), Sweden

Imago Male




Keeled Skimmer 3278    (1 photos)
2025-06-21    Björkadammen (Skåne), Sweden

Imago Male




Keeled Skimmer 3272    (1 photos)
2025-06-21    Björkadammen (Skåne), Sweden

Imago Male




Keeled Skimmer 3271    (1 photos)
2025-06-21    Björkadammen (Skåne), Sweden

Imago Male




Keeled Skimmer 3269    (1 photos)
2025-06-21    Björkadammen (Skåne), Sweden

Imago Male




Keeled Skimmer 3268    (1 photos)
2025-06-21    Björkadammen (Skåne), Sweden

Imago Male
All the animals were sitting like this in the open.



Keeled Skimmer 3267    (2 photos)
2025-06-21    Björkadammen (Skåne), Sweden

Imago Male




Keeled Skimmer 3266    (1 photos)
2025-06-21    Björkadammen (Skåne), Sweden

Imago Male




Keeled Skimmer 3265    (3 photos)
2025-06-21    Björkadammen (Skåne), Sweden

Imago Male
A pretty mature male.



Keeled Skimmer 3262    (1 photos)
2025-06-21    Björkadammen (Skåne), Sweden

Imago Male
One of the only two young males I saw, out of 53.



Keeled Skimmer 3261    (1 photos)
2025-06-21    Björkadammen (Skåne), Sweden

Imago Male
One of the only two young males I saw, out of 53.



Keeled Skimmer 3260    (1 photos)
2025-06-21    Björkadammen (Skåne), Sweden

Imago Male




Keeled Skimmer 947    (3 photos)
2022-07-12    Ronneby-area (Blekinge), Sweden

Imago Female
Young.
Typical with long orange wing marks. Yellow on the front part of both wings is mainly seen on young individuals. The strong shoulder stripe, the golden pale thorax and legs and the thin black line running down on top of the abdomen and tiny cross-bars near the tips of S3-7 are good for the species.



Keeled Skimmer 3264    (1 photos)
2025-06-21    Björkadammen (Skåne), Sweden

Imago Female
Mature. The first female I saw, and as all animals today this one was sitting low on the dry weed, and not up in the vegetation.



Keeled Skimmer 3263    (3 photos)
2025-06-21    Björkadammen (Skåne), Sweden

Imago Female
Young. I saw 7 females compared to 53 males.



Keeled Skimmer 3270    (6 photos)
2025-06-21    Björkadammen (Skåne), Sweden

Imago Female
Photo 2 is another female.



Keeled Skimmer 3273    (1 photos)
2025-06-21    Björkadammen (Skåne), Sweden

Imago Female




Keeled Skimmer 3277    (1 photos)
2025-06-21    Björkadammen (Skåne), Sweden

Imago Female
Young. The only one I saw sitting directly in the vegetation. And only after I flushed it accidentally.