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Autumn Meadowhawk dragonflies (mating pair, in wheel)

Sympetrum vicinum

Description:

A mating pair of Autumn Meadowhawk dragonflies. (Astounding to see dragonflies so late in the year -- completely unexpected!) Odonata, an order of insects including dragonflies and damselflies, reproduce in three stages: in tandem; in wheel (sometimes called "in heart" for damselflies); and oviposition. The dragonflies shown in the preceding photo gallery are "in wheel," in which the male (red abdomen) uses "claspers" at the end of his abdomen to hold the female by her head while they are joined at their abdomens. All dragonflies and damselflies have a 10-segmented abdomen: male dragonfly secondary genitalia are located in segments two and three (2 and 3); female genitalia in segment eight (8).

Habitat:

Huntley Meadows Park, a 1,425 acre wetland area in Fairfax County, Virginia USA. Related Resource: http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/huntl...

Notes:

Copyright © 2011 Walter Sanford. All rights reserved. www.wsanford.com

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Geodialist
Spotted by
Geodialist

Virginia, USA

Spotted on Dec 2, 2011
Submitted on Dec 3, 2011

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