This dragonfly is approximately 2 inches or 50 mm in length. The male has dark red eyes, red thorax and red abdomen with black spots on segments 8 and 9. The wings are clear with red stigmas. The hindwings are wide with a large irregular red spot at the base. The female has dark red eyes and is a dull orange on the thorax and abdomen with bluish gray spots on segments 8 and 9. She has a large dark brown spot at the base of the hindwing.
The Red Saddlebags is common in wetter years and can be seen feeding in swarms with Black Saddlebags, and rainpool gliders over grassy areas at Fontenelle Forest and Neale Woods.
Males patrol large territories. Pairs mate while perched high in trees. Females lay eggs alone or in tandem in vegetation on the surface of the water. They are more likely to use temporal ponds without fish for ovipositing.
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