# Striped Meadowhawk (*Sympetrum pallipes*) The Striped Meadowhawk is a colorful dragonfly with bright red and yellow stripes. They love to fly around sunny meadows and ponds, catching tiny bugs to eat. - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![Striped Meadowhawk](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Striped_Meadowhawk_%2815404305161%29.jpg&width=800) Photo: Katja Schulz from Washington, D. C., USA, CC BY 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Striped_Meadowhawk_%2815404305161%29.jpg) ## Appearance The Striped Meadowhawk has a reddish-brown body (males are often bright red) with pale yellow or white stripes on its legs, which give it its name. Its wings are clear, sometimes with a yellowish tint near the base, and feature a pale spot near the wingtip. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Odonata - **Family:** Libellulidae - **Genus:** Sympetrum ## Interesting facts - A meadowhawk's wings can beat 30 times a second! - Baby meadowhawks live underwater for months or even years! - Dragonflies have been flying for over 300 million years! - They catch 95% of the prey they hunt – super hunters! ## Special abilities - **360 Vision:** Striped Meadowhawk has enormous compound eyes that give them nearly 360-degree vision, helping them spot tiny prey and predators. - **Aerial Acrobatics:** Striped Meadowhawk can fly forwards, backward, and hover due to independently moving wings, helping them catch prey mid-air. - **Underwater Transformation:** Striped Meadowhawk nymphs live underwater for months, breathing with gills, before transforming into winged adults. ## Measurements & details - **Wingspan:** 45-75 mm - **Size:** 30-45 mm - **Lifespan:** 30-60 days - **Flight Speed:** 20 km/h - **Leg Count:** 6 ## Diet & Feeding Tiny flying insects are their favorite meal, caught right out of the air! - **Age differences:** Nymphs hunt aquatic larvae; adults feast on flying insects. - **Primary Foods:** Mosquitoes, Gnats, Flies, Midges, Small moths - **Foraging Method:** Pursuit ## Ecological connections - **Hunts:** Common house mosquito (*Culex pipiens*) — Adults hunt these flying insects. - **Eaten by:** [American bullfrog](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-bullfrog) (*Rana catesbeiana*) — Both nymphs and adults can be prey. - **Eaten by:** [Yellow perch](https://www.snappit.app/explore/yellow-perch) (*Perca flavescens*) — Fish often prey on the aquatic nymphs. ## Traits - [Striped](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/striped): Marked with parallel bands or lines of color. - [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care. - [Aerial](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aerial): Aerial creatures spend a significant portion of their lives airborne, utilizing flight for various activities such as hunting, migration, or nesting. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Insectivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/insectivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates. - [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/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. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Speedster](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/speedster): This trait identifies organisms that exhibit exceptional swiftness in movement for hunting, escape, or travel. - [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants. ## Collections - [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/insects) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Dragonflies are harmless and fun to watch, but it's best to observe them from a distance. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Striped Meadowhawk? Compare wing shape and resting posture, where the eyes sit, body markings and the tail segments. Males and females can look very different in color. Dragonfly Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### What is Striped Meadowhawk's wingspan? 45-75 mm ### How big is Striped Meadowhawk? 30-45 mm ### How long does Striped Meadowhawk live? 30-60 days ### How fast can Striped Meadowhawk fly? 20 km/h ### What does Striped Meadowhawk eat? Tiny flying insects are their favorite meal, caught right out of the air! ### Where is Striped Meadowhawk usually found? Wetlands ### How does Striped Meadowhawk hunt? Pursuit ## Where to spot - [Clatsop State Forest](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/clatsop-state-forest) — Oregon, US · Forest ## More Insects - [Common Eastern Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*) - [Spotted Lanternfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spotted-lanternfly) (*Lycorma delicatula*) - [Brown-belted Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-belted-bumble-bee) (*Bombus griseocollis*) - [Eastern Carpenter Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-carpenter-bee) (*Xylocopa virginica*) --- Source: [Striped Meadowhawk: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/striped-meadowhawk)