Sympetrum
obtrusum
(White-Faced Meadowhawk)
Description:
Naiad-
This is a small naiad with a length of 5/8 inch (16 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 Red-Veined Meadowhawk
(Sympetrum madidum) and the Striped Meadowhawk (Sympetrum pallipes) are extremely
difficult to tell apart.
Adult- This
is a small dragonfly with a length
of 1 1/4 to 1 9/16 inches (31 to 39 mm). Mature males have a yellowish white
face, a dark thorax, and a shiny red abdomen marked with black triangles along
each side. The wings are clear but may be clouded with yellowish brown where
they attach to the body. The legs may appear yellowish and have black spines.
Females and immature males are olive
to golden brown and are marked similarly.
Range:
This species is found from
the Northwest Territories of Canada east to Nova Scotia, extending south into
the U.S. to Utah, Kansas, and Kentucky. In Idaho, it occurs throughout the state
though less commonly in the southeast part of the state.
Habitat:
This dragonfly can be
found near bogs, lakes, ponds, and ditches. They appear to prefer small, stagnant
ponds.
Adult Flight Season:
Early July to
mid-October
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 debris
on the bottom of bogs, lakes, and ponds, and have a high tolerance for acidic
waters. They do not actively pursue prey but wait for it to pass by, a strategy
which affords them protection from other predators. The naiads emerge as adults
at night. Adults generally fly from early July to mid-October. The adults of
this species 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.
Reproduction:
The female flies with
the male still attached after mating (a position called "in tandem") and lays
her eggs in bogs, 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.