Minnesota Dragonfly

Saffron-winged Meadowhawk

Sympetrum costiferum

The Saffron-winged Meadowhawk is a member of the genus Sympetrum. Males are mostly red and brown with a reddish face and reddish-orange veins at the front of each wing. Females are yellow with red eyes and yellow veins at the front of each wings

Click on photo above for more pics

Identification

Field Marks
  • Average adult size is approximately from 1.2 to 1.5 inches
  • Tan face with a reddish tint
  • Eyes red over tan/brown
  • Reddish brown thorax
  • Tan legs with black on the outside
  • Red abdomen with black top spots on segments 8 - 9
  • No red triangles on side of the abdomen just a black edge
  • Orange/red terminal appendages
  • Reddish-orange veins at front of wings with a red stigma

Click on photos above for a close-up view.

Field Marks
  • Golden face with red over yellow eyes
  • Yellow thorax
  • Tan legs with black stripe on the outside
  • Golden abdomen with black top spots on segments 8 and 9
  • Leading edge of wings golden with yellow stigma

Click on photos above for a close-up view.

Natural History

Behavior

Saffron-winged Meadowhawks are often more skittish than other species of Meadowhawks. Males on territory usually perch low on vegetation that over hangs the water. They also appear to hover over the water more than most other species of Meadowhawks.

Habitat

Marshes, ponds and lakes with a lot of emergent vegetation, also sometimes bogs

Reproduction

Females lay eggs either solo or in tandem by dipping the tip of their abdomen into shallow open water or along a wet shoreline

Range Maps

Click on the icons above for this species' range maps

Click here for county and state checklists from Odonata Central.

Range maps and checklists courtesy of Odonata Central. Copyright © 2016 OdonataCentral. All Rights Reserved. Abbott, J.C. 2006-2018. OdonataCentral: An online resource for the distribution and identification of Odonata. Available at www.odonatacentral.org.