Now that fall has officially arrived, I look forward to seeing more Autumn Meadowhawk dragonflies (Sympetrum vicinum), like this stunning female that I spotted last Friday at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Adult males of this dragonfly species are bright red in color, but females can be either tan or red. The “spike” near the end of the abdomen makes it easy. though, to identify this one as a female.
In Northern Virginia, where I live, the Autumn Meadowhawk tends to be the latest surviving dragonflies—I have spotted them in mid-December and others have seen them in early January.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved
Mike Powell 
I always think of this haiku when I see a red dragonfly (even in summer):
The beginning of autumn
decided
by the red dragonfly
–Shirao
New Hampshire Garden Solutions sent me here. Your photography is wonderful! Thank you for sharing something beautiful with us every day.
Thanks for sharing that marvelous haiku. I hope you don’t mind if I use it in the future–it seems perfect for this dragonfly and for the Blue-faced Meadowhawk, another autumn species.
Absolutely, you can use it! It’s in the public domain.
Nice shot!