Widow skimmer dragonfly libellulidae libellula luctuosa female on stick
Libellula is a genus of dragonflies, commonly called skimmers, in the family Libellulidae, distributed throughout the temperate zone of the Northern Hemisphere. Most species are found in the United States, where they are the best-known large dragonflies, often seen flying over freshwater ponds in summer. Many have showy wing patterns.
The taxa Ladona (corporals) and Plathemis (whitetails) have been considered as synonyms of Libellula, subgenera, or separate genera by different authorities. Recent phylogenetic analysis has supported their status as either subgenera or full genera.
Species
Except as otherwise noted, species are native to North America.
Libellula angelina Selys, 1883 (North China, Japan)
Libellula auripennis Burmeister, 1839 – golden-winged skimmer (North and Central America)