Sympetrum
danae
(Black Meadowhawk)
Description:
Naiad-
This is a small naiad with a length of 9/16 to 5/8 inch (14 to 15.5 mm). It
is mottled green and brown in color. The abdomen has several slender, slightly
curved hooks along the top, and the last two abdominal segments have a single,
rear-facing spine on each side. The naiads of this species and those of the
Cherry-faced Meadowhawk (Sympetrum internum) are extremely difficult to tell
apart.
Adult- This
is a small dragonfly with a length
of 1 to 1 ¼ inches (26 to 31 mm). It has no red coloration, unlike other Sympetrum
species. Mature males are all black
and have clear wings. Immature males are black and marked with yellow on each
side of the thorax and along the top of the abdomen. Females
are brown with golden brown and yellow markings, and their wings
may be clouded with golden brown where they attach to the body.
Range:
The distribution of this
dragonfly is circumboreal, which means it occurs throughout the Northern Hemisphere.
In North America, it ranges from Alaska east to Hudson Bay, extending south
into the U.S. to northern California east to Kentucky and Maine. It is also
found across Siberia into northern Europe. In Idaho, it is found throughout
the state.
Habitat:
This dragonfly occurs
primarily near bogs, but also near marshy ponds and lakes.
Adult Flight Season:
Early June to
Late August
Diet:
Naiad-
Naiads feed on a wide variety of aquatic insects, such as mosquito larvae, other
aquatic fly larvae, mayfly larvae, and freshwater shrimp. They will also eat
very small fish and tadpoles.
Adult-
The dragonfly will eat almost any soft-bodied flying insect including mosquitoes,
flies, small moths, mayflies, and flying ants or termites.
Ecology:
The naiads live in submerged
vegetation. They do not actively pursue prey but wait for it to pass by, a strategy
which affords them protection from other predators. Naiads emerge as adults
at night. Adults generally fly from early June through August. They hunt flying
insects from perches on rocks or bare branches. The Latin name for this genus,
Sympetrum, means "with rock" and refers to their habit of basking on rocks to
absorb heat early in the day. Throughout its range, this species is associated
with acidic waters, especially peat bogs. However, it is quite common in southeastern
Idaho, where most groundwater is alkaline.
Reproduction:
The female flies with
the male still attached after mating (a position called "in tandem") and lays
her eggs in lakes and ponds by dipping the tip her abdomen on the surface of
the water.
Conservation:
Populations
are widespread, abundant, and secure.
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Global Rank: | G5 |
State Rank: | S? |
References:
Corbet, P. S. 1999.
Dragonflies: Behavior and Ecology of Odonata. Cornell University Press, Ithaca,
New York, USA, 829pp.
Logan, E. R. 1967. The Odonata of Idaho. Unpublished M. S. thesis. University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, USA, 105 pp.
Needham, J. G. and M. J. Westfall. 1955. Dragonflies of North America. University of California Press, Berkely, California, USA, 615 pp.
Paulson, D. R. 1999. Dragonflies of Washington. Seattle Audubon Society, Seattle, Washington, USA, 32 pp.
Walker, E. M. and P. S. Corbet. 1975. The Odonata of Canada and Alaska, Vol. III. University of Toronto Press, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, 307 pp.