Three striking king skimmers live in B.C.; two others have recently been moved to other genera – Ladona and Plathemis. Many species have banded or spotted wings, and in some species, males sport abdomens covered with white or bluish pruinescence. Showy and aggressive, king skimmers perch, hover and skim over the waters of ponds, lakeshores and sluggish streams. During egg laying, a female taps the water with the end of her abdomen; she flies alone or is guarded by her mate hovering nearby. Females of most species have small flaps on the sides of segment 8 that help them splash water along with their eggs, often depositing them on the shore.
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