Yellow-sided Skimmer & Double-ringed Pennant
This is another Double-ringed Pennant, but from this angle it might easily be mistaken for a Slaty Skimmer, at least in a photograph. When seen in the field, Double-ringed Pennants are notably smaller than Slaty Skimmers.
The two species on this page were photographed on a road trip that I took with Jim Lemon on June 15, 2024. This is a female Yellow-sided Skimmer, found in Pike County, Ohio. This species has only been documented in two counties in Ohio (Pike and Jackson). They live in seepages and boggy habitat.
This dragonfly is a male Double-ringed Pennant. I photographed him at a pond in Jackson County, Ohio, which is the original site and only known permanent population for this species in Ohio. However, there have been a couple of sightings in the Cincinnati area, and this species is likely expanding its range. They should be watched for in the Dayton area.
This is a male Yellow-sided Skimmer from Pike County. Males are pale blue with yellow streaks along the upper edges of their wings.
Another female Yellow-sided Skimmer. The females are very similar to Spangled Skimmers but lack the half-white, half-black stigmas of that species.
The best distinguishing field mark for a Double-ringed Pennant is the dark patch at the base of the hindwings. A Slaty Skimmer would not have these dark patches.