Thank you! I've been using an online digital library of maine dragonflies as my research guide, but the picture there only showed one yellow spot, not the several like in my photo. I double checked my other pictures, which included a side shot, and there is indeed a white face which I didn't notice before. Now that I've searched other pictures of this skimmer, I've found several others showing the line of yellow spots. Is there a regional explaination for the variation? Is it more likely that this is a female? Thanks for your help again!

Thanks, it was a lucky guess really, I had only recently discovered owlflys after researching a European species I saw in Bulgaria (see attached pic), so it was already in my mind when ccox's post appeared Here is a link that might be useful:

Yeah, what he said - There are a lot of clubtails and snaketails (same family) with this same sort of abdominal widening, but some, for instance the females of some species, such as the Zebra clubtail, lack the clubbed abdomen. The male Skillet clubtail has a club wider than his thorax. Interesting critters, all of them. Tucker

spolina, I noticed your red sofa in a post on the discussion forum. Your home is beautiful and I really like your sofa. I am at ground -0 in my FR. I ordered furniture that did not work. I am at neg station since I gave the delivery guy my old sofa (before knowing the furniture had to go back). I am waiting and watching with an eagle eye - all sofas on this site and anywhere ai can look to find that perfect "fit". You came after my entertaining experience with my red sofa - http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/decor/msg081952135660.html Here is a link that might be useful: old post on the perky sofa saga