BLACK MEADOWHAWK

BLACK MEADOWHAWK

Sympetrum danae
SKIMMER FAMILY (Libellulidae)

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This small meadowhawk is about 1.25 inches or 32 mm long. The male has black eyes, face and thorax. The abdomen is black with tan marks on the segments. The wings are clear with black stigmas. The female’s eyes are reddish-brown over green. The face is tan. The thorax is brown in front and pale yellow on the sides with a black mid-stripe with 3 small whitish spots. The abdomen is tan with black lateral stripes. The wings are clear with black stigmas. Immature males look like females. Both sexes have black legs.

 

The first Black Meadowhawks discovered in Nebraska were found at the Teaching Pond in Fontenelle Forest by Rick Schmid on September 21, 2012. Four male individuals were found, and on the 23rd, a mating pair was found there. Black Meadowhawks were also found on September 22nd in Douglas County, NE. This is a significant extension of their normal range which is mainly the northern tier of states, Canada, Alaska, and the mountains of Colorado and New Mexico. The closest record of a single occurrence was in Sac County, northwest IA in September 2001.

 

Males tend to perch low in vegetation or on the ground while females perch higher. Mating usually takes place away from the water in the afternoon. The female oviposits mostly by tapping water with her abdomen or dropping them from the air into the water. This species also ranges from Europe to Japan.

 

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