Keeled Skimmers by Ken _Gilliland

Poser • Insects • posted on Oct 15, 2017

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Description

I'm moving back up the food chain from ants now to dragon and damselflies. Here's the Keeled Skimmers, both male (blue) and female (tan). The keeled skimmer occurs in central and Southern Europe. It is locally common in western Britain and Ireland. Its typical habitat is acidic heath land, where it is often seen alongside golden-ringed dragonflies. Pools and streams in wet heathland sites are favored. It may be found resting low in heather at such sites. It breeds mainly in peat bogs and flies (in the UK) from June to September. Its flight is skittish, with frequent hovering, and it lands often. It can fly quite a distance from water, despite its seemingly weak flight. When it perches, the wings are held forward. The male skimmer pictured in the back is "obelisking". This is a behavior to prevent overheating on sunny days. The abdomen is raised until its tip points at the sun, minimizing the surface area exposed to solar radiation. When the sun is close to directly overhead, the vertical alignment of the insect's body suggests an obelisk. Rendered in Poser. All models by me; Water Lily Garden and upcoming Nature's Wonders Dragon & Damselflies.