- Skimmers
- Libellulidae Family
The Cherry-faced Meadowhawk has a bright red abdomen with prominent black triangles on the sides. It has a red face, an unmarked red thorax, black legs, and reddish wing veins. The stigmas are paler at each end. The sexes are similar, but juveniles are yellow-orange.
It can be difficult to separate from Ruby and White-faced Meadowhawks, but this species and Ruby Meadowhawks almost always have a large orangishbasal patch that can reach half way out the wing. White-faced Meadowhawks have only a very small orangish patch at the base of the wings. Cherry-faced is more common later in the season than the other two similar species.
Cherry-faced Meadowhawk male
Size: 21-36 mm (0.8-1.4 in)
Habitat: marshy areas of ponds, lakes and slow streams
Great Plains Range: OK, KS, NE, SD, ND, NM, CO, WY, MT, MO, IA, MN
Flight season: early June to late September
Green indicates accepted county record (specimen or photograph).
Yellow indicates sight record only.