Sympetrum semicinctum

By Matt Young
Dragonfly
Sympetrum semicinctum – band-winged meadowhawk, Wonderland Lake, Boulder, Colorado, August, 2023.

I saw these dragonflies on the trail in the vicinity of Wonderland Lake, just begging to be photographed. The picture above is the band-winged meadowhawk, as demonstrated by the brown bands on the wings. When I examined the photographs, I found that not all meadowhawks are alike. Below the fold, a dragonfly that to my eye looks identical, except that its wings do not display the brown, translucent bands.

Dragonfly
Sympetrum obtrusum – white-faced meadowhawk, Wonderland Lake, Boulder, Colorado, August, 2023.


Thanks to the experts at BugGuide for verifying the identity of S. obtrusum.