Orange Skimmer

Orange Skimmer

Orthetrum testaceum

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
at Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary

In 3 days ~60% in a week ~90%

29 Verified sightings at Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary From 2019 to 2026
289 In all 10 parks
October Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

About the Orange Skimmer

Orthetrum testaceum, common names Crimson Dropwing or Orange Skimmer is an Asian freshwater dragonfly species belonging to the family Libellulidae. This common species is widespread throughout India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. These dragonflies may occur in various areas with standing waters, as in ponds, drains, marshes, around rivers, streams, lakes, and gardens.

Orthetrum testaceum can reach a body length of about 43–48 mm (1.7–1.9 in), with a hindwing of 34–38 mm (1.3–1.5 in) (in males). In these large dragonflies the thorax of adult males is orange-brown, with a vermilion red abdomen. The eyes are light brownish. The wings are smoky transparent, with an amber patch at the base. In adult females and in recently emerged males the body is olive-green to brown in colour with black markings and a clear base of the hindwings.

These dragonflies are rather similar to Orthetrum chrysis, but O. testaceum is more reddish, while O. chrysis has a reddish brown thorax. Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Bako National Park 🇲🇾 Malaysia
~40%
2 Danum Valley Conservation Area 🇲🇾 Malaysia
~40%
3 Gunung Leuser National Park 🇮🇩 Indonesia
~30%
4 Sepilok 🇲🇾 Malaysia
~30%
5 Kinabalu Park 🇲🇾 Malaysia
~30%
6 Kerinci Seblat National Park 🇮🇩 Indonesia
~30%
7 Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary 🇲🇾 Malaysia
~20%
8 Taman Negara National Park 🇲🇾 Malaysia
~20%
9 Khao Sok National Park 🇹🇭 Thailand
~20%
10 Kaeng Krachan National Park 🇹🇭 Thailand
~20%

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Jakarta 🇮🇩 Indonesia
~40%
2 Yogyakarta 🇮🇩 Indonesia
~30%
3 Kuching 🇲🇾 Malaysia
~20%
4 Kuala Lumpur 🇲🇾 Malaysia
~20%
5 Johor Bahru 🇲🇾 Malaysia
~20%
6 Bandung 🇮🇩 Indonesia
~20%
7 Singapore 🇸🇬 Singapore
~10%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing an Orange Skimmer in Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary?

Possible

About 20% of wildlife watchers report an Orange Skimmer sighting in Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary on a given day, based on 29 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 8th most-seen of the 57 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 60%, and over a week to about 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see an Orange Skimmer in Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary?

October

In that month about 40% of wildlife watchers report an Orange Skimmer in Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary on a given day, against under 5% in April, July and December, the lowest months.

What time of day is best to see an Orange Skimmer?

Between 10 am and 1 pm

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Orange Skimmer sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Which relatives of the Orange Skimmer live in Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary?

Same genus: Orthetrum

The closest relatives of the Orange Skimmer that you can see in Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary (genus Orthetrum) are Slender Skimmer (about 20%) and Brown-Backed Red Marsh Hawk (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.

Where does the Orange Skimmer sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Orange Skimmer is recorded against all the insects logged in Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary (29 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

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