I am not about to make a sign proclaiming that “The End is Near,” but I couldn’t help feeling a slight sense of impending doom when I spotted an Autumn Meadowhawk dragonfly (Sympetrum vicinum) this past weekend. In our area, Autumn Meadowhawks are the ultimate survivors of the dragonfly season and they can usually be found well into December and occasionally into January.
This pretty red and brown dragonfly is a harbinger of doom—inexorably winter is approaching and dragonflies will eventually cease to fly until the spring. For now, though, I’ll continue to search for these spectacular aerial acrobats and enjoy their beauty and skill when I am lucky enough to find one.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
Odonarty photo, Mike — thanks for sharing! On the other hand, the dark, unspeakable thoughts you expressed are better left unshared. 😉
Great shot!
Thanks. I love shooting insects, especially dragonflies, and I’m always a bit sad when it starts to get too cold for the insects. When that happens, I tend to photograph birds a bit more.