The saffron-winged meadowhawk (''Sympetrum costiferum'') is a
dragonfly
A dragonfly is a flying insect belonging to the infraorder Anisoptera below the order Odonata. About 3,000 extant species of true dragonfly are known. Most are tropical, with fewer species in temperate regions. Loss of wetland habitat threate ...
of the genus ''
Sympetrum
''Sympetrum'' is a genus of small to medium-sized skimmer dragonflies, known as darters in the UK and as meadowhawks in North America. The more than 50 species predominantly live in the temperate zone of the Northern Hemisphere; no ''Sympet ...
''. It is found across northern and central United States and most of Canada, including a southern portion of the Northwest Territories.
Its abdomen is yellowish-brown, turning pale red at maturity in both sexes. Juveniles and females have gold (saffron) coloured wing stripes.
[Dunkle, S.W., Dragonflies through Binoculars: A Field Guide to Dragonflies of North America. New York:Oxford University Press, 2000.] Veins of males and females are reddish or orange.
[Mead, Kurt. Dragonflies of the North Woods. Second edition. Duluth, MN:Kollath+Stensaas, 2009.] The sides of the abdomen are marked with black triangles. Some females have amber in basal areas of their wings. Legs are striped in black and yellow or red. Size: .
[ This species overlaps with and is difficult to distinguish from both the ruby and white-faced meadowhawks.][
]
Similar species
*''Sympetrum obtrusum
The White-faced Meadowhawk (''Sympetrum obtrusum'') is a dragonfly of the genus ''Sympetrum''. It is found in the northern United States and southern Canada. Adult males are identifiable by a distinctive pure white face and red bodies.Dunkle, S.W. ...
'' – white-faced meadowhawk
*''Sympetrum rubicundulum
The ruby meadowhawk (''Sympetrum rubicundulum'') is a species of dragonfly of the family Libellulidae. It is found in northern United States and southern Ontario, Canada. Adult males are identifiable by a distinctive orange to brown face and red ...
'' – ruby meadowhawk
*''Sympetrum internum
The cherry-faced meadowhawk (''Sympetrum internum'') is a dragonfly of the genus ''Sympetrum''. It is found across northern and central United States and most of Canada, including southern portions of the Yukon and Northwest Territories. Its abd ...
'' – cherry-faced meadowhawk
References
External links
Saffron-winged Meadowhawk
Nature Inquiries
Saffron-winged Meadowhawk
BugGuide
Libellulidae
Insects described in 1861
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