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Species Details
Sympetrum danae
University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum Read more about this collection »
Common NameBlack Meadowhawk
SeasonalityFlight season is from late June to mid September or October (Hutchings and Halstead 2011).
IdentificationApproximately 3 centimeter meadowhawk with black and yellow patterns. Males are almost entirely black with few yellow stripes and have metallic face. Females have reddish-brown eyes with pale green colours. The thorax and abdomen is mostly yellow with black stripes on lateral sides and the costal veins on both wings are yellow. Immature adults are yellow with lighter black or brown patterns on thorax and abdomen, and will gradually turn darker as they become mature (Paulson 2009).
Scientific Name
Sympetrum danae
Common Name
Black Meadowhawk
Habitat
Mountain areas (Cannings 2002), bogs, fens, and marshes with dense vegetations (Paulson 2009).
Seasonality
Flight season is from late June to mid September or October (Hutchings and Halstead 2011).
Identification
Approximately 3 centimeter meadowhawk with black and yellow patterns. Males are almost entirely black with few yellow stripes and have metallic face. Females have reddish-brown eyes with pale green colours. The thorax…
Approximately 3 centimeter meadowhawk with black and yellow patterns. Males are almost entirely black with few yellow stripes and have metallic face. Females have reddish-brown eyes with pale green colours. The thorax and abdomen is mostly yellow with black stripes on lateral sides and the costal veins on both wings are yellow. Immature adults are yellow with lighter black or brown patterns on thorax and abdomen, and will gradually turn darker as they become mature (Paulson 2009).
Life History
The adults emerge around mid July to late August (Cannings and Cannings 1997). Unlike cherry-faced meadowhawks, the black meadowhawks are not territorial (Paulson 2009). The mating season is from August to early…
The adults emerge around mid July to late August (Cannings and Cannings 1997). Unlike cherry-faced meadowhawks, the black meadowhawks are not territorial (Paulson 2009). The mating season is from August to early September (Cannings and Cannings 1997). Most of them mate away from the water, then come to water for oviposition in tandem by noon. Oviposition can happen either in tandem or alone. The female drop eggs from air into open water or on moss (Paulson 2009).
Conservation
Very widespread species, especially in western North America (Lung and Sommer 2001).
Diet Info
Aquatic nymphs feed on many small soft body arthropods and vertebrates in water. Terrestrial flying adults feed on many small and soft bodied flying insects (Lung and Sommer 2001).
Range
Found from Alaska to Newfoundland and Labrador, south to northern California and Wisconsin, as well as some parts of northern United States. It is also found in northern Europe and Eurasia (Paulson 2009).
Notes
This species shares many very similar behaviours with Sympetrum internum and Sympetrum obtrusum despite the distribution being somewhat different, as they live in similar habitats
Citation
Page Citation for Sympetrum danae
Page Citation
"Species Details - Sympetrum danae, University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum." University of Alberta Museums Search Site, https://search.museums.ualberta.ca/g/2-30186/9-426582. Accessed 06 Feb. 2025.
References
Author
Lung, M. and S. Sommer
Title
Sympetrum danae (Black Meadowhawk).
Publication Date
2001
Author
Hutchings, G. and Halstead, D.
Title
Dragonflies & Damselflies in the Hand: An Identification Guide to Boreal Forest Odonates in Saskatchewan and Adjacent Regions.
Publication Date
2011
Pages
158 pp
Author
Paulson, D. R.
Title
Dragonflies and Damselflies of the West.
Publication Date
2009
Pages
535 pp
Author
Cannings, S. G. and R. A. Cannings
Title
Insects of the Yukon.
Publication Date
1997
Pages
169-200
Author
Cannings, R. A.
Title
Introducing the dragonflies of British Columbia and the Yukon.
Publication Date
2002
Pages
96 pp
Specimen Information
There are 27 specimens of this Species.
UASM343907 - Sympetrum danae
University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum
Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Patricia
Collected ByAcorn, J. H.
Date Collected1980-09-13
UASM343908 - Sympetrum danae
University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum
Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Rocky Mountain House
Collected ByAcorn, J. H.
Date Collected1980-08-04
UASM343909 - Sympetrum danae
University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum
Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Rocky Mountain House
Collected ByAcorn, J. H.
Date Collected1980-09-25
UASM343910 - Sympetrum danae
University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum
Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Rocky Mountain House
Collected ByAcorn, J. H.
Date Collected1980-08-04
UASM343911 - Sympetrum danae
University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum
Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Patricia
Collected ByAcorn, J. H.
Date Collected1980-09-11
UASM343912 - Sympetrum danae
University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum
Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Clifford E. Lee Sanctuary
Collected ByGriffiths, G. C. D.
Date Collected1980-08-08
UASM343913 - Sympetrum danae
University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum
Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Clifford E. Lee Sanctuary
Collected ByGriffiths, G. C. D.
Date Collected1980-08-08
UASM343914 - Sympetrum danae
University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum
Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Red Deer
Collected ByWhitehouse, F. C.
UASM343915 - Sympetrum danae
University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum
Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Red Deer
Collected ByWhitehouse, F. C.
UASM343916 - Sympetrum danae
University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum
Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Opal
Collected ByHocking, B.
Date Collected1955-08-09
UASM343917 - Sympetrum danae
University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum
Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Perryvale
Collected ByHocking, B.
Date Collected1956-09-20
UASM343918 - Sympetrum danae
University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum
Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Perryvale
Collected ByHocking, B.
Date Collected1956-09-20
UASM343919 - Sympetrum danae
University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum
Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Perryvale
Collected ByHocking, B.
Date Collected1956-09-19
UASM343920 - Sympetrum danae
University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum
Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Perryvale
Collected ByHocking, B.
Date Collected1956-09-20
UASM343921 - Sympetrum danae
University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum
Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Blackfalds
Date Collected1902-09-09
UASM343922 - Sympetrum danae
University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum
Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Perryvale
Collected ByHocking, B.
Date Collected1956-09-20
UASM343923 - Sympetrum danae
University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum
Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Perryvale
Collected ByHocking, B.
Date Collected1956-09-20
UASM343924 - Sympetrum danae
University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum
Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Perryvale
Collected ByHocking, B.
Date Collected1956-09-20
UASM343926 - Sympetrum danae
University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum
Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Banff National Park, Banff
Collected ByStrickland, E. H.
Date Collected1948-09-03
UASM343927 - Sympetrum danae
University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum
Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Opal
Collected ByHocking, B.
Date Collected1955-08-09
UASM343928 - Sympetrum danae
University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum
Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Edmonton
Collected ByBaowett, R.
Date Collected1956-09-29