Species of the genus Libellula (king skimmers) often perch on shoreline vegetation, are stout bodied, and usually have distinctive body and wing patterns.
The juvenile has a brown face, brown shoulders, red-brown eyes, yellow dorsal stripe on thorax, and a yellow abdomen with a wide black dorsal stripe. As the male gets older, he develops a black face and a black body, with the side of thorax being last. The eyes also turn dark brown. The female is similar to the juvenile stage. As the female gets older, the body becomes brown or brown-gray. The wings have black stigmas (near the tips of wings) and tips edged with black. The average length of the body is 2.0 inches. The juveniles are similar to the great blue skimmer juveniles.
Found throughout eastern United States and southeast Canada, this species prefers quiet waters with a muck bottom, usually in or near forest, and sometimes including rivers. In the north, habitat preferences may include bog lakes. In Wisconsin, we are at northwestern limit of its range, and it is only known from a few eastern counties.
In Wisconsin, a few adults have been recorded in July. The flight season in the northern part of its range, is from early June to early September.