Band-winged Meadowhawk - Sympétrum semi-ambré - Sympetrum semicinctum
Work keeps me from getting out in the woods and meadows, and this summer was the heaviest workload in a long while. As a result I had to be a lot more deliberate about where I went and when on the few occasions I was in Ottawa with some downtime.
One of my goals was to find and photograph some more dragonfly species. Some of these I have already posted and others will come over the fall.
This was one of my favourites. Most people in the northern part of the US and in Canada would recognize the Autumn Meadowhawk as a fairly common species, often the last one flying in the late fall (I saw one on the weekend in Toronto). But it’s closely related and less common species is the Band-winged, hard to distinguish except for the fact that its rear wing has a broad amber patch.
It behaves, eats, and reproduces in ways well-known to those interested in Meadowhawks. It is found in the places where meadows and wetlands abut - not as common a type of location as it might seem. But that amber band is very striking in the field.
And ten points for the bonus insect!
Band-winged Meadowhawk - Sympétrum semi-ambré - Sympetrum semicinctum
Work keeps me from getting out in the woods and meadows, and this summer was the heaviest workload in a long while. As a result I had to be a lot more deliberate about where I went and when on the few occasions I was in Ottawa with some downtime.
One of my goals was to find and photograph some more dragonfly species. Some of these I have already posted and others will come over the fall.
This was one of my favourites. Most people in the northern part of the US and in Canada would recognize the Autumn Meadowhawk as a fairly common species, often the last one flying in the late fall (I saw one on the weekend in Toronto). But it’s closely related and less common species is the Band-winged, hard to distinguish except for the fact that its rear wing has a broad amber patch.
It behaves, eats, and reproduces in ways well-known to those interested in Meadowhawks. It is found in the places where meadows and wetlands abut - not as common a type of location as it might seem. But that amber band is very striking in the field.
And ten points for the bonus insect!