Photo of a male Autumn Meadowhawk (Sympetrum vicinum), a species of dragonfly in the skimmer family. ID was based on body length of 29mm, reddish-brown colour and being active in early November. It is the only meadowhawk species that is active this late in the fall. I photographed the dragonfly hanging on to the window screen at sunrise on November 2. The Environment Canada weather website recorded -3C with a windchill of -8C at the Peterborough airport. I would imagine that our temperatures near lower Chemong Lake were warmer, but it was still very cold! The dragonfly flew away later in the morning after warming in the sun.
Don McLeod
Note: This species is sometimes called the Yellow-legged Meadowhawk, since it is the only meadowhawk with pale, yellowish legs
Autumn Meadowhawk – Don McLeod
