Slender Skimmer or Oasis Skimmer – Deffi Park

Whilst birding Deffi Park I found a couple of Slender Skimmer Orthetrum sabina along a small watercourse. They are a common dragonfly in Saudi Arabia, that is a very active hunter, found mainly in oasis and overgrown riverbanks and wetland areas. It is a medium-sized dragonfly with a wingspan of 60-85mm with adults being grayish to greenish yellow with black and pale markings and green eyes. Its abdomen is greenish-yellow, marked with black. Females are similar to males in shape, colour and size. It is widespread, being found from south-eastern Europe and North Africa to Japan and south to Australia and Micronesia.

Slender Skimmer or Oasis Skimmer – Jubail

The Slender Skimmer Orthetrum sabina is a common dragonfly in Saudi Arabia found in oasis and overgrown riverbanks and wetland areas. It rarely perches and when it does it hangs partly suspended by a bush or reed stem. Very active hunter. It is a medium-sized dragonfly with a wingspan of 60-85mm. Adults are grayish to greenish yellow with black and pale markings and green eyes. Its abdomen is greenish-yellow, marked with black. Females are similar to males in shape, colour and size. It is widespread, being found from south-eastern Europe and North Africa to Japan and south to Australia and Micronesia.

Slender Skimmer– Dhahran Hills

The dragonflies of Dhahran Hills are about in good numbers at the moment but they are finding it hard to find any water to use. This Slender Skimmer Orthetrum sabina also known as Oasis Skimmer was flying around the only small patch of reeds on the outside of the fence to the Percolation Pond. It regularly used twigs and reed stems to rest on and the photo below was taken with a 600mm lens and I had to walk back several metres to be able to focus on the insect but the resulting image turned out quite well.

Slender Skimmer

The slender skimmer is a green to greyish-yellow dragonfly with the thorax and abdomen striped black. The abdomen is swollen towards the base and there is a small dark spot present at the base of the hindwing. The adult dragonfly spends a few days to several months feeding and maturing where the dragonfly normally develops its full adult colour. The slender skimmer is renowned for feeding on other dragonfly species, including some species larger than itself. It is an extremely widespread species occurring from south-eastern Europe to Japan and south to Australia and Micronesia. They occupy a broad range of slow-flowing and still water habitats, from ponds to wet rice fields and marshes and are very tolerant of disturbance sometimes occupying temporary water sources.

Slender Skimmer – Dhahran Hills

The Slender Skimmer Orthetrum sabina is a green to greyish-yellow dragonfly with black markings. The sides of the thorax and abdomen are striped with black, the abdomen is distinctly swollen towards the base and it has a small dark spot at the base of the hindwing. Males and female slender skimmers are very similar in appearance with the male having an abdomen length of 36 - 42 mm with a hindwing of 35 - 40 mm. The species is renowned for feeding on other dragonfly species, including some species larger than itself. It is an extremely widespread species occurring from south-eastern Europe to Japan and south to Australia and Micronesia with the Arabian Peninsula within its range. They occupy a range of slow-flowing and still water habitats, from ponds to wet fields and marshes.