Meadowhawks

Sympetrum

Meadowhawks are colorful dragonflies that love to fly around sunny meadows and ponds. They have big eyes and can often be seen resting on plants or flying quickly through the air.

Habitat: Wetlands

Appearance

The Meadowhawks is a genus of small to medium-sized dragonflies, often recognized by their striking red or orange bodies in males and yellowish-brown bodies in females. They typically have clear or sometimes amber-tinted wings, and a relatively stout abdomen compared to other dragonflies.

KingdomAnimaliaPhylumArthropodaClassInsectaOrderOdonataFamilyLibellulidaeGenusSympetrum

Meadowhawks

Interesting facts

Meadowhawk babies live underwater for months before becoming flying adults!

Some Meadowhawks migrate hundreds of miles for winter, like birds!

Their scientific name, *Sympetrum*, means 'with spotted wings'!

They have nearly 360-degree vision thanks to their huge, compound eyes!

Special abilities

Meadowhawks can snatch flying insects right out of the air because of their excellent eyesight and agile flight, helping them catch fast-moving prey.

Meadowhawks can control their body temperature by angling their bodies towards or away from the sun, helping them stay active in various conditions.

Meadowhawk nymphs can blend into their aquatic surroundings because of their drab coloration and flattened bodies, helping them hide from predators.

Measurements & details

Wingspan: 40-70 mm
Size: 25-45 mm
Lifespan: 30-90 days
Flight Speed: 35 km/h
Leg Count: 6

Diet & Feeding

Meadowhawks are expert hunters, eating all sorts of small flying insects.

Age differences: Nymphs eat aquatic insects, while adults eat flying insects caught in the air.

Primary Foods

Mosquitoes
Gnats
Flies
Moths
Small butterflies

Foraging Method

Pursuit

Ecological connections

hunts

Mosquito

Aedes aegypti

Adult Meadowhawks eat mosquitoes.

hunts

House Fly

Musca domestica

Adult Meadowhawks prey on house flies.

eaten by

Bullfrog

Rana catesbeiana

Bullfrogs will eat adult Meadowhawks.

eaten by

American Kestrel

Falco sparverius

Kestrels hunt Meadowhawks as prey.

Traits

Solitary

Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care.

Aerial

Aerial creatures spend a significant portion of their lives airborne, utilizing flight for various activities such as hunting, migration, or nesting.

Colorful

Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.

Insectivorous

This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates.

Wetland

This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs.