Autumn Meadowhawks

Barring late Common Green Darners, the Autumn Meadowhawk/Sympetrum vicinum is usually the last dragonfly of the season. These photos from October 29th, when they were a lot of them around Sylvan Water and, to a lesser degree, Valley Water in Green-Wood. Two days later, an even warmer day, there was much less activity at both these spots.

Males usually continue holding on as females oviposit.

And as they rest between episodes of egg-laying.

It’s less common to see the females because they only come to water to mate and drop eggs. They’re clearly around, but more subtle until it’s time to mate.