The black-tailed skimmer has a quick and aggressive mating process. It starts near water where territorial males chase rivals. The male grabs a female mid-air without any long courtship dance.
The dragonfly pair forms a ‘mating wheel’ in nearby vegetation. The male then guards the female while she drops her eggs into the water. The larvae hatch after five or six weeks partially hidden by bottom debris. The mature dragonflies emerge after two to three years.