# Fiery Skimmer

*Orthetrum villosovittatum*

Male fiery skimmers are fiercely territorial, using their brilliant red bodies as visual warnings to ward off rival males from their preferred sunny perches.

- **Taxonomy:** Animalia › Arthropoda › Insecta › Odonata › Libellulidae › Orthetrum
- **IUCN Red List status:** Least Concern
- **Population trend:** stable
- **Biome:** wetland
- **Habitat:** Slow-flowing rainforest streams, swampy creeks, and boggy seeps.
- **Diet:** Carnivorous, preying on mosquitoes, flies, moths, and other small flying insects.
- **Range:** Australia, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands
- **Size:** Wingspan of 60-70 mm, body length of 45-50 mm
- **Lifespan:** 1 to 2 years (mostly spent as aquatic larvae; adults live for 1 to 2 months)
- **Active:** diurnal
- **Threats:** Water pollution, habitat destruction from agricultural runoff, and clearing of riparian vegetation.
- **Safe to approach?:** This species is completely harmless to humans. They do not possess a stinger and will only attempt to bite if handled roughly, which feels like a tiny, harmless pinch. Enjoy observing their spectacular, hovering flight from any distance. If skin contact occurs, no action is needed.

## About

Orthetrum villosovittatum , known as the fiery skimmer , is a species of dragonfly in the family Libellulidae. Its range is from the Moluccas, New Guinea and neighbouring islands as well as Australia. In Australia it is found in Victoria through eastern New South Wales and Queensland, north inland Queensland, Cape York Peninsula and north Northern Territory. It is a common species through most of its range.

## Sources

- Plate: https://gaia-dex.com/species/334cf3f9-b435-42dd-9f97-2fddf3326798
- iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/127136
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orthetrum villosovittatum
- Conservation status: IUCN Red List category, as recorded by Gaia-Dex
- Photo: https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/172345873/medium.jpeg (Graham Winterflood, CC-BY-SA, via iNaturalist)

Habitat, diet, size and similar notes are AI-written summaries; check them against the linked sources before relying on them.