---
title: "Eight-spotted Skimmer"
description: "Libellula forensis — Insects & spiders. The eight-spotted skimmer (Libellula forensis) is a dragonfly of the skimmer family."
canonical: https://animalchecklist.com/animal/eight-spotted-skimmer
last_updated: 2026-09-20
---

# Eight-spotted Skimmer

> Libellula forensis — Insects & spiders. The eight-spotted skimmer (Libellula forensis) is a dragonfly of the skimmer family.

- Scientific name: *Libellula forensis*
- Category: `insects` (Insects & spiders)
- Habitats: `freshwater` (Lakes & rivers)
- iNaturalist observations: 10152
- Wikidata: [Q136467](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q136467)
- iNaturalist taxon: [84369](https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/84369)

## Names

- en: Eight-spotted Skimmer
- fr: L'élégante

## Countries with the most observations

US (7485), CA (2330)

## Summary

The eight-spotted skimmer (Libellula forensis) is a dragonfly of the skimmer family.

Text: Wikipedia (en), CC BY-SA 4.0 — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eight-spotted_skimmer

## Photo

![Eight-spotted Skimmer](https://animalchecklist.com/img/animals/eight-spotted-skimmer/medium.jpg)

Photo: russnamitz · CC0 · inaturalist — https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/29535932

## Machine access

`GET https://animalchecklist.com/api/v1/animals/eight-spotted-skimmer?lang=en` — see [openapi.json](https://animalchecklist.com/openapi.json).