Band-winged Meadowhawk

Sympetrum semicinctum

The distinctive amber bands on their wings act as a visual disruption, making it harder for avian predators to track them mid-flight.

Scientific name: Sympetrum semicinctum
Taxonomy: Animalia › Arthropoda › Insecta › Odonata › Libellulidae › Sympetrum
IUCN Red List status: Least Concern
Population trend: stable
Biome: wetland
Habitat: Slow-moving streams, marshes, fens, and vegetated ponds.
Diet: Flying insects, including mosquitoes, gnats, flies, and small moths.
Range: United States, Canada
Size: Length: 28-36 mm; Wingspan: 50-60 mm.
Lifespan: Under 1 year (typically 1-2 months as a flying adult).
Active: diurnal
Threats: Wetland degradation, water pollution from agricultural runoff, and heavy pesticide use.
Safe to approach?: Harmless. Band-winged Meadowhawks pose no threat to humans and do not bite or sting. You can safely observe them from inches away as they perch on shoreline vegetation. If one lands on you, enjoy the moment and let it fly away on its own.

The band-winged meadowhawk ( Sympetrum semicinctum ) is a dragonfly of the genus Sympetrum belonging to the family Libellulidae....

Photo: Bernie Paquette, CC-BY, via iNaturalist