Blue Skimmer
Blue Skimmer: Australia’s Backyard Blue
If there is one dragonfly that defines an Australian summer by the water, it’s the Blue Skimmer (Orthetrum caledonicum).
Found right across mainland Australia, this is the quintessential blue dragonfly that most people recognise. Whether it’s perched on a lily pad in a backyard pond, resting on a sun-baked rock by a farm dam, or patrolling the edges of a slow-moving creek, the mature male is an absolute stunner.
A Study in Powder Blue (The Males)
The mature male Blue Skimmer is easy to spot.
- The Colour: He is almost entirely a beautiful, matte powder-blue colour across his abdomen and thorax (the middle section).
- The Secret Sauce: Remember how we mentioned in the introduction that some blue colours are actually a dusty coating? That is exactly what’s happening here. When the male first emerges as an adult, he is actually brown and yellow! As he matures, he develops a waxy, powdery coating called pruinescence.
- The Wings: His wings are generally clear, sometimes with a tiny hint of amber right at the base.
The Tricky Females (Brown and Yellow)
This species is a fantastic example of why identifying dragonflies by colour can be tricky!
The female Blue Skimmer looks so different from the male that you’d be forgiven for thinking she was a completely different species. She has no blue on her at all. Instead, she is a patterned mix of yellow or pale brown with distinct black markings down the side of her body.
Because she blends in so well with dry grass and reeds, people often overlook her entirely, only noticing the bright blue male.
Where to Find Them and How They Act
The name “Skimmer” gives a clue to their behaviour, although they are also often called “perchers.”
Unlike some larger dragonflies that seem to fly endlessly without stopping, the Blue Skimmer likes to find a good vantage point—a stick in the water, a rock, or a patch of bare ground near the edge. They will sit there, soaking up the sun, watching for prey or rivals.
They will dash out rapidly to snatch a mosquito or fly mid-air, or to chase away another male that gets too close, before returning to the exact same perch.
They are incredibly adaptable and thrive in almost any still or slow-flowing freshwater. This is why they are such a common sight in garden ponds, golf course lakes, and rural dams right across the mainland.
If you have a healthy pond in your garden, keep an eye out for a flash of powder-blue—you’ve likely got a resident Blue Skimmer on patrol!
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