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Species account
Keeled Skimmer
(Orthetrum coerulescens)
(Fabricius, 1798)
Skimmers (Libellulidae) [Dragonflies] KESK 24822
Skimmers (Libellulidae) [Dragonflies] KESK 24822
Lille Blåpil (dk)
Centinela Cobalto (es)
Mindre Sjötrollslända (se)
Synonyms (common):
Heathland Skimmer (uk) Libélula Cobalto (es)
Synonyms (scientific):
Libellula vulgata Scopoli, 1763 (nec Linnaeus, 1758)
Libellula biguttata Donovan, 1808
Libellula donovani Leach, 1815
Libellula opalina Charpentier, 1825
Libellula olympia Fonscolombe, 1837
Libellula dubia Rambur, 1842 (nec Vander Linden, 1825)
Libellula anceps Schneider, 1845
Libellula ramburii Selys in Lucas, 1849
Orthetrum translatum Bartenev, 1929
Orthetrum helena Buchholz, 1954
Libellula biguttata Donovan, 1808
Libellula donovani Leach, 1815
Libellula opalina Charpentier, 1825
Libellula olympia Fonscolombe, 1837
Libellula dubia Rambur, 1842 (nec Vander Linden, 1825)
Libellula anceps Schneider, 1845
Libellula ramburii Selys in Lucas, 1849
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:
Flight period:
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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:
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:
Redlist
(?):NE: Not evaluated
NA: Not applicable
DD: Data deficient
LC: Least concern
NT: Near threatened
VU: Vulnerable
EN: Endangered
CR: Critically endangered
EW: Extinct in the wild
EX: Extinct
RE: Regionally extinct
NA: Not applicable
DD: Data deficient
LC: Least concern
NT: Near threatened
VU: Vulnerable
EN: Endangered
CR: Critically endangered
EW: Extinct in the wild
EX: Extinct
RE: Regionally extinct
LC(global) LC(eu) LC(EU) LC(dk)
Status
In Denmark the species was rediscovered in 2006 in Jylland, and has been stable and even expanding ever since. Mainly northward in Jylland with a few records north of Limfjorden so far. Also a few records on Fyn.
Comment:
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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. |
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1741
(2 photos)
2023-07-08 Jenskær (Silkeborg), Denmark Imago Male |
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1742
(3 photos)
2023-07-08 Jenskær (Silkeborg), Denmark Imago Male |
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3279
(1 photos)
2025-06-21 Björkadammen (Skåne), Sweden Imago Male |
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3278
(1 photos)
2025-06-21 Björkadammen (Skåne), Sweden Imago Male |
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3272
(1 photos)
2025-06-21 Björkadammen (Skåne), Sweden Imago Male |
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3271
(1 photos)
2025-06-21 Björkadammen (Skåne), Sweden Imago Male |
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3269
(1 photos)
2025-06-21 Björkadammen (Skåne), Sweden Imago Male |
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3268
(1 photos)
2025-06-21 Björkadammen (Skåne), Sweden Imago Male All the animals were sitting like this in the open. |
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3267
(2 photos)
2025-06-21 Björkadammen (Skåne), Sweden Imago Male |
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3266
(1 photos)
2025-06-21 Björkadammen (Skåne), Sweden Imago Male |
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3265
(3 photos)
2025-06-21 Björkadammen (Skåne), Sweden Imago Male A pretty mature male. |
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3262
(1 photos)
2025-06-21 Björkadammen (Skåne), Sweden Imago Male One of the only two young males I saw, out of 53. |
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3261
(1 photos)
2025-06-21 Björkadammen (Skåne), Sweden Imago Male One of the only two young males I saw, out of 53. |
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3260
(1 photos)
2025-06-21 Björkadammen (Skåne), Sweden Imago Male |
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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. |
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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. |
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3263
(3 photos)
2025-06-21 Björkadammen (Skåne), Sweden Imago Female Young. I saw 7 females compared to 53 males. |
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3270
(6 photos)
2025-06-21 Björkadammen (Skåne), Sweden Imago Female Photo 2 is another female. |
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3273
(1 photos)
2025-06-21 Björkadammen (Skåne), Sweden Imago Female |
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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. |