Cherry-faced Meadowhawk / Sympétrum intime
Sympetrum internum
Fundy Nature Notes, Quotes and Anecdotes 2
Cherry-faced Meadowhawk / Sympétrum intime
(Sympetrum internum)
Size: 31-37 mm
Fundy First record: August 24th, 2013 (weekly Bio-Blitz program at MacLaren Pond)
Habitat/Status: This is a fairly common species in the region, although much less so than the White-faced Meadowhawk. It occurs in a variety of slower (lentic) waters , especially vernal pools, grassy ponds and lake edges that tend to dry up during the summer.
Flight period in New Brunswick: June 20th to October 14th
ID Hints: This species is very difficult to distinguish in the field from both Ruby and White-faced Meadowhawks. If you see a male with the black, saw-toothed pattern on the side and a bright red face, it is most likely this species, as the Ruby Meadowhawk is rare and tends to have a more brownish face in our region, whereas mature male White-faced generally have a pearly white face. However, care should be taken and it is advised to check the shape of the secondary male appendages (the hamules) in hand to confirm ID.
Nature Notes: Very similar to the both the Ruby and White-faced Meadowhawk, both of which also occur in the region. Thankfully the former is quite uncommon and the latter can confidently be identified in some cases, especially with regards to mature males. Not much is known about the behaviour of this species, given the difficulty of identifying it in the field. One unusual character is the propensity of this species to lay its eggs on lawns in late summer, presumably because of the lay of the land, figuring that the area will be flooded come the following spring.
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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