Autumn Meadowhawk / Sympétrum tardif
Sympetrum vicinum
Fundy Nature Notes, Quotes and Anecdotes 2
Autumn Meadowhawk, Sympétrum tardif
(Sympetrum vicinum)
Size: 26-35 mm
Fundy First record: October 11th, 2011, Shiphaven Trail (Eric Knopf)
Status/Habitat: This is a common species in the park and the region as a whole. It is associated with lakes, slow streams, bogs, usually permanent ponds (occasionally temporary) and marshes. It can be found a considerable distance from water.
Typical flight period in New Brunswick: From early July to late October, occasionally to mid-November.
ID hints: A slender and relatively pale Meadowhawk. It is the only species of Meadowhawk in north-eastern North America with pale legs (yellow when young to golden-brown when older). It also has less black markings on the abdomen than the other species. All other species have black legs, except the Saffron-winged, which has black with yellow to red stripes and somewhat less black on the abdomen as well.
Nature Notes: The Autumn Meadowhawk is usually the last species of dragonfly on the wing in this region each year. It may still be "out there" until the middle of November (!), if the temperature has not dipped below -8 C or so. Along with the Shadow Darner and Lake Darner, this is one of the few species that will feed in temperatures hovering around 10 C. When the temperatures are lower, they apparently tend to start perched on the ground, then gradually perch higher and higher, moving onto leaves and twigs as the temperature increases.
Sources and Credits
- (c) Denis Doucet, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Denis Doucet
- (c) Denis Doucet, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
More Info
iNaturalist.ca Map
| Family | Libellulidae |
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