Old Gray Slaty Skimmer

Here's what I believe to be an old gray female Slaty Skimmer.

That's right, similar to humans, Slaty Skimmer females can turn gray as they age. [1] Other signs suggestive of an old age are the somewhat tattered hind wings. Females in the prime of life are basically brown, though they'll usually have a gray streak going across the top of their abdomen. You can see a dark gray, almost black, on this individual too. But you don't see the slate-blue that's so distinctive on the males.

You can also see a somewhat unusual trait of the Slaty Skimmers; they frequently perch using only 4 of their 6 legs and fold their front legs up behind their heads. It's a little hard to see the folded front legs, but it's easier to notice that only 4 legs are visible and in use right now.

July 31, 2021 at Duke Farms
Photo 149014422, (c) jpviolette, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)

By way of comparison, here are a couple males in this post.

[1] Of course, in humans it's the hair that turns gray, not the ectoskeleton.

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