Band-winged Meadowhawk Dragonfly

The smallest of the Meadwohawk species, this little male Band-winged Meadowhawk Dragonfly, lends itself easily to identification. When I first saw it I was puzzled for each time it landed it seemed that the rocks under it had an old, yellow cellophane look to them. The mystery was solved when I checked out Meadowhawks in my Dragonflies and Damselflies of Massachusetts Field Guide book. (Nikula, Loose and Burne, 2003). This Band-winged Meadowhawk has a broad amber basal band on its wings and it is more noticable on the hind wings than the front ones. Other identifying marks are the two black spots which are clearly seen in the photo above on abdominal segments S8 and S9, the reddish-brown stigma, black legs, and the bright red abdomen with black triangular shapes on its sides. This was another wonderful photo encounter to add to my much treasured, growing folder of Dragonfly pictures.