Cherry-Faced Meadowhawk, Sympetrum internum


The cherry-faced meadowhawk reaches an average body length between .8 and 1.4 inches. Young individuals hold brown abdomens that turn red in color as they mature and can hold black triangular markings. Both males and females hold these markings, but females can also hold amber colored markings at the base of each wing. The species received its common name from the red color that appears on the face as individuals mature.

The population numbers of the cherry-faced meadowhawk are stable, but it is threatened by long droughts, which dry up its natural habitat. Because of the possible threat from global warming, research and observation of the species and its habitat is recommended. The cherry-faced meadowhawk appears on the IUCN Red List with a conservation status of “Least Concern.”

Image Caption: Cherry-faced Meadowhawk (Sympetrum internum), Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Credit: D. Gordon E. Robertson/Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0)