Autumn Meadowhawk

The problem with my relatively newfound passion for dragonflies is that the creatures disappear in the winter before hatching in the sping—just long enough for me to forget how to identify them. Autumn Meadowhawks, told by their pale, yellowish legs, are among the last dragonflies of the season. I found this meadowhawk basking in the sun on 7 November 2019. I have not seen a dragonfly since.

Autumn Meadowhawks are common. They have two North American populations, one in the East, and the other in the Pacific Northwest. They prey upon almost any soft-bodied flying insect they can catch.