Chalk-fronted Corporal
Ladona julia (Uhler, 1857)
Chalk-fronted Corporal: https://marylandbiodiversity.com/species/725
Synonyms

Map Snapshot

112 Records

Status

Chalk-fronted Skimmer (Ladona julia) is an abundant northern skimmer, mostly restricted to higher elevations at the southern extreme of its range. This species breeds in ponds or lakes with mud bottoms, especially ones with acidic water (Paulson, 2011). This species is most common at mountain ponds in Garrett County but can also be found at a few ponds in the Catoctin Mountains of Frederick County. There are historic records from Baltimore and Anne Arundel Counties (Richard Orr's The Dragonflies and Damselflies of Maryland and the District of Columbia). it is ranked as S3 (watch list) in Maryland.

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Source: Wikipedia

Chalk-fronted corporal
Male

Secure  (NatureServe)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Odonata
Infraorder: Anisoptera
Family: Libellulidae
Genus: Ladona
Species:
L. julia
Binomial name
Ladona julia
Uhler, 1857

The chalk-fronted corporal (Ladona julia) is a skimmer dragonfly found in the northern United States and southern Canada.

Juveniles of both sexes are light reddish brown, with white shoulder stripes and a black stripe down the middle of the abdomen. As they mature, males develop a white pruinescence on the top of the thorax and at the base of the abdomen, while the rest of the abdomen turns black. Females become almost uniformly dark brown, with a dusting of gray pruinescence near the base of the abdomen; a few develop the same color pattern as the males.

Chalk-fronted corporals often perch horizontally on the ground or on floating objects in the water, flying up to take prey from the air. They are gregarious for dragonflies, and are commonly seen perching in groups. They readily approach humans to feed on the mosquitoes and biting flies that humans attract.

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References

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  • Dunkle, S. W. (2000). Dragonflies through Binoculars. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 176. ISBN 0-19-511268-7.
  • Needham, J. G.; et al. (2000). Dragonflies of North America (rev. ed.). Gainesville, FL: Scientific Publishers. pp. 686–687. ISBN 0-945417-94-2.
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