Keeled Skimmer

Pools and streams in wet heathland sites are favoured.

May be found resting low in heather at such sites.

• Climate change: erratic rainfall.
• Pollution
• Abstraction and drainage.

Patchy distribution across Britain; more common in the west. Has been expanding its range in Scotland since 1990.

May be confused with Black-tailed Skimmer and Scarce Chaser. The Keeled Skimmer can be distinguished by its:

• paler wings spots.
• yellow costa (leading wing vein).
• pale antehumeral stripes on the back of the thorax.
• black keel.

• Length: 40-44mm
• Slim abdomen with a pronounced dorsal keel (dark line down the middle of the back)..
• Yellow costa (leading wing vein).
• Yellow or brown pterostigma (wing spots).
• Pale ante-humeral stripes on the back of the thorax.
• Male: blue body and blue-grey eyes.
• Female: ochre abdomen and brown eyes.
• Immature adults: similar to females. Often have yellow tinge to the wings.
• At rest, the wings are often held forward.

Skimmers and Chasers have a squat, spider-like body-shape, a square back to the head and small eyes.

Smaller than other Chasers and Skimmers: 17-23mm

Similar size to Darters but lacks their lateral abdominal spines and has smaller eyes.