White-faced Meadowhawk

Sympetrum obtrusum

The White-faced Meadowhawk is a small dragonfly with a bright red body and a white face. They are often found resting on plants near water, where they hunt for tiny insects.

Habitat: Wetlands

Appearance

The White-faced Meadowhawk has a distinctive bright white face, especially in males, contrasting with its otherwise vibrant red body. Females are typically yellow-brown, but can also show some red as they mature. Their clear wings make their body colors stand out strikingly.

KingdomAnimaliaPhylumArthropodaClassInsectaOrderOdonataFamilyLibellulidaeGenusSympetrum

White-faced Meadowhawk

Interesting facts

A dragonfly's huge eyes can have up to 30,000 tiny lenses, making them incredible hunters.

Before becoming an adult, they live underwater for months, breathing with gills like a fish!

Dragonflies were among Earth's very first winged insects, flying over 300 million years ago!

Their transparent wings beat independently, allowing them to perform amazing aerial stunts.

Special abilities

White-faced Meadowhawks have huge compound eyes that give them nearly 360-degree vision, helping them spot tiny prey from far away.

White-faced Meadowhawks can fly forwards, backwards, hover, and turn on a dime, making them expert hunters in the air.

Their young (naiads) are fierce underwater predators, snatching other aquatic creatures with a special extendable jaw.

White-faced Meadowhawks can quickly warm their bodies by basking in the sun, powering up their muscles for speedy flight.

Measurements & details

Wingspan: 45-55 mm
Size: 29-36 mm
Lifespan: 30-60 days
Flight Speed: 25 km/h
Leg Count: 6

Diet & Feeding

These speedy hunters keep bug populations in check by eating tiny flying insects!

Age differences: Young White-faced Meadowhawks (naiads) hunt aquatic insects and tadpoles underwater; adults catch flying insects in the air.

Primary Foods

Mosquitoes
Midges
Small flies
Gnats
Small moths

Foraging Method

Pursuit

Ecological connections

hunts

Yellow fever mosquito

Aedes aegypti

Adults catch mosquitoes mid-air.

hunts

Common midge

Chironomus plumosus

A primary food source for adult dragonflies.

eaten by

American Bullfrog

Lithobates catesbeianus

Large frogs prey on adult dragonflies.

eaten by

Blue Jay

Cyanocitta cristata

Birds often snatch dragonflies from the air or perches.

eaten by

Bluegill

Lepomis macrochirus

Fish frequently eat dragonfly naiads underwater.

Traits

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.