Red-veined meadowhawk facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Red-veined meadowhawk |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Sympetrum
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| Species: |
madidum
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The Sympetrum madidum, also known as the red-veined meadowhawk, is a type of dragonfly. It belongs to the family called Libellulidae, which includes many common dragonflies.
Contents
What Does It Look Like?
Adult Dragonfly
The red-veined meadowhawk is a medium-sized dragonfly. It is one of the larger ones in its group, Sympetrum. These dragonflies are about 1 5/8 to 1 13/16 inches (40 to 45 mm) long. Their body is quite thin.
You can tell them apart from other Sympetrum dragonflies by their wings. Their wings have a gold to red color, like a cloud. Also, the veins in their wings are red.
- Male: The male red-veined meadowhawk has a red face and a red body. Its middle section (thorax) is dark. It has two yellow spots on each side of its thorax.
- Female: The female is yellowish-brown. Each side of her thorax has two yellowish-white stripes. The top of her body has lines that make it look like a "plaid" pattern.
Young Dragonfly (Naiad)
The young red-veined meadowhawk, called a naiad, is small. It is about 5/8 inch (16 mm) long. Its body is a mix of green and brown colors.
The naiad has several thin, slightly curved hooks on top of its body. The last two parts of its body have a single spine on each side, pointing backward. It can be very hard to tell these naiads apart from striped meadowhawk naiads.
Where Do They Live?
Red-veined meadowhawks live in many places across North America.
- United States: You can find them in Alaska, California, Colorado, Iowa, Idaho, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming.
- Canada: They also live in Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Saskatchewan, and Yukon.
What Kind of Place Do They Like?
These dragonflies like to live near shallow, marshy ponds and lakes. These are wet areas with lots of plants.
When Do They Fly?
Red-veined meadowhawks are usually active from the middle of June to the middle of September. Sometimes, they can be seen flying from April to September.
What Do They Eat?
Adult Diet
Adult red-veined meadowhawks eat almost any soft-bodied flying insect. This includes:
- Mosquitoes
- Flies
- Small moths
- Mayflies
- Flying ants or termites
Naiad Diet
Red-veined meadowhawk naiads live in water and eat many kinds of water insects. Their diet includes:
- Mosquito larvae (young mosquitoes)
- Other young water flies
- Mayfly larvae
- Freshwater shrimp
They might even eat very small fish and tadpoles!
How They Live (Ecology)
The naiads of the red-veined meadowhawk live in the mud and plant bits at the bottom of ponds and lakes. They can even grow in places that dry up sometimes. They don't chase their food. Instead, they wait quietly for prey to come close. This way, they stay hidden from other animals that might want to eat them.
Naiads turn into adult dragonflies at night. Adult red-veined meadowhawks usually fly from mid-June to mid-September. They also fly at other times of the year.
These dragonflies hunt for flying insects from a resting spot. They often sit on rocks or bare branches. The name of their group, Sympetrum, comes from a Latin word meaning "with rock." This is because they like to sit on rocks to warm up in the morning sun.
This dragonfly species is not very common in most places where it lives. It is not the most well-known type of Sympetrum dragonfly.
Reproduction and Life Cycle
After mating, the female dragonfly flies with the male still attached. This is called being "in tandem." The female then lays her eggs in shallow lakes and ponds. She does this by dipping the tip of her body into the water.
Similar Dragonflies
The red-veined meadowhawk looks a bit like the cardinal meadowhawk. However, the cardinal meadowhawk has black at the base of its wings. It also does not have a black underside and its legs are reddish.
