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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)
Photo#611376
Cardinal Meadowhawk I think - Sympetrum vicinum
Copyright © 2012 Wildlife Sightings

Cardinal Meadowhawk I think - Sympetrum vicinum
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
September 7, 2010
Some type of meadowhawk I think, not sure of species though.
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Contributed by Wildlife Sightings on 4 February, 2012 - 7:58pm
Last updated 7 February, 2012 - 9:10pm

Moved
Moved from ID Request.
… john and jane balaban, 7 February, 2012 - 9:10pm login or register to post comments

Thanks for id help and photo tip
I tried lightening the image a little in photoshop and the yellow brown did come out surprisingly. Thanks for all the id help for gender and age variations in colors.
… Wildlife Sightings, 5 February, 2012 - 1:39pm login or register to post comments

Nope
Cardinal Meadowhawks do not live within thousands of miles of your location but this is a meadowhawk. I see a hint of light-coloured legs and in your area that would mean Autumn Meadowhawk. This one is a female. Seen from the side, you would see the large ovipositor that is characteristic of her species.
… DeeDee, 4 February, 2012 - 11:01pm login or register to post comments

 
Body color vs leg color
I thought the autumn meadowhawk lacked any red color, being consitently yellow/brown. Hard to tell from the photo but I thought it was more red than brown, I do see a tiny patch yellow/brown on the body just before the wings. Would the leg color be more reliable in identification in this case than the body color?
… Wildlife Sightings, 5 February, 2012 - 8:47am login or register to post comments

 
Autumn meadowhawk
I downloaded the photo and lightened the dark areas (your camera's light meter was fooled by the bright rock). The legs are definitely yellow, so Sympetrum vicinum as DeeDee stated.
… Larry de March, 5 February, 2012 - 9:57am login or register to post comments

 
Body colour vs leg colour
Young males and females are yellow/brown, with mature females and males becoming red. Leg colour is a definitive trait as no other sympetrum species in your area has it.
… DeeDee, 5 February, 2012 - 9:14am login or register to post comments

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