Nebraska Dragonflies and Damselflies

Band-winged Meadowhawk

Sympetrum semicinctum fasciatum

Say, 1839

The basal half of each wing of the Band-winged Meadowhawk is a rich amber color. In the Nebraska subspecies, S. semicinctum fasciatum, the colored area is paler next to the body and darker towards the middle of the wing. The male is red and the female is yellowish. Both sexes have dark side stripes on the abdomen and dark spots on top of segments 8 and 9. Some odonatologists call this dragonfly the Western Meadowhawk (Sympetrum occidentale fasciatum).

Common. Although a transcontinental species to be expected in all the counties, occurrence is spotty in southern and eastern areas. It is more likely in marshy areas than open pond edges, although it can be found at both sites and is often locally abundant. The species is frequently in woods and shelter belts miles from water and regularly flies high above the fields, in contrast to New York individuals that fly just above or in the vegetation.

Green indicates accepted county record (specimen or photograph).
Yellow indicates sight record only.