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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Dragonflies and Damselflies (Odonata) » Dragonflies (Anisoptera) » Skimmers (Libellulidae) » Meadowhawks (Sympetrum) » Autumn Meadowhawk (Sympetrum vicinum)

Species Sympetrum vicinum - Autumn Meadowhawk

Dragonfly - Sympetrum vicinum - male red dragon?Sympetrum species - Sympetrum vicinum Autumn meadowhawk? - Sympetrum vicinum One of the smaller dragonflies (For ID, please) - Sympetrum vicinum - female A brown dragonfly - Sympetrum vicinum dragonfly Sympetrum - Sympetrum vicinum Sympetrum vicinum? - Sympetrum vicinum Sympetron vicinum (Autumn Meadowhawk)? - Sympetrum vicinum
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Odonata (Dragonflies and Damselflies)
Suborder Anisoptera (Dragonflies)
Family Libellulidae (Skimmers)
Genus Sympetrum (Meadowhawks)
Species vicinum (Autumn Meadowhawk)
Other Common Names
Formerly called Yellow-legged Meadowhawk.
Numbers
One of 15 species in the genus.
Size
adult body length 26-35 mm
Identification
All red or yellow, typically lacking defined spots or bands (1). Small.
Range
Eastern U.S. except Florida and Louisiana; parts of southern Canada; Great Plains states; Oregon, Washington, and parts of California.
Habitat
Marshes, lakes, ponds, slow-moving streams. Usually associated with woodlands.
Season
Primarily late in the summer; often the last species to be seen in a given area. Rarely recorded in December in Massachusetts(2), more commonly flying into November.
Food
Adults feed on small flying insects.
Nymphs prey on aquatic invertebrates.
Print References
(3)
Internet References
E-Nature.com live adult image [by Sidney Dunkle, Texas] plus common name reference [Yellow-legged Meadowhawk] and other info
Dragonflies and Damselflies of West Virginia live adult images plus common name reference [Autumn Meadowhawk], description, and other info (Stephen Cresswell, West Virginia)
Works Cited
1.Dragonflies of Texas A Field Guide.
John C. Abbott. 2015. University of Texas Press, Austin. 466 pp.
2.Field Guide to the Dragonflies and Damselflies of Massachusetts
Blair Nikula, Jennifer L. Loose, Matthew R. Burne. 2003. Massachusetts Division of Fisheries & Wildlife.
3.Dragonflies Through Binoculars: A Field Guide to Dragonflies of North America
Sidney W. Dunkle. 2000. Oxford Press.
Contributed by Stephen_WV on 12 May, 2004 - 10:52pm
Additional contributions by Robin McLeod, Vox Sciurorum, Tyler Hedlund
Last updated 19 April, 2020 - 2:48pm

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