After a month away on a car road trip, I finally returned home last week. On Friday I ventured out to Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge to see if I could find any dragonflies. It is pretty late in the season for most dragonfly species, but I was optimistic that I might be able to find some Autumn Meadowhawks (Sympetrum vicinum) that are almost always the final dragonflies to disappear in late autumn.
Happily I was able to spot a half-dozen or so Autumn Meadowhawk dragonflies, although I was able to capture images of only a few of them. The female in the first photo was quite cooperative and landed on a colorful fallen leaf. The dragonfly in the second photo is also a female and I am pretty sure that it too is an Autumn Meadowhawk—there is a slight chance that it could be a Blue-faced Meadowhawk (Sympetrum ambiguum), though it would be unusual to see that species so late in the season.
The final image is a long distance shot of another female Autumn Meadowhawk that is almost perfectly camouflaged. You will need to look very carefully at the upper edge of the leaf in order to spot the little dragonfly. I watched it land at that spot, but actually could not see the dragonfly when I took this shot. I will probably be out again with my camera later this week diligently searching for more dragonflies, the final survivors of the 2024 dragonfly season.
Happy Veterans Day to all those who have served or are continuing to serve in the Armed Forces of the United States. As someone who served for 20 years in the U.S. Army, this day is a special one for me. It seems a bit trite to say “Thank you for your service,” but those words reflect my heartfelt thanks to those men and women who voluntarily defend our freedoms.
In other parts of the world this day is celebrated as Armistice Day (or Remembrance Day) and I remember well being in Paris, France on this day several times and observing the impressive ceremonies on the Champs-Élysées to commemorate the armistice that ended World War I. Some thought at the time that it would be the “war to end all wars,” but, alas, those hopes proved to be unfounded.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
Mike, thank you for sharing the exquisite autumn dragonfly. And more importantly, thank you for your service. I understand how you feel. Your words are honorable and honest!
Thanks for your kind words. Military service unfortunately has been devalued in the minds of so many Americans, who somehow take for granted the freedoms that we enjoy. Those freedoms came at a price, as expressed in the oath that all military personnel take–“I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic.”
You’re welcome, Mike. I feel exactly the same way. You beautifully expressed my feelings!
Hi Mike, these look very similar to our Common Darter they also carry on until the end of November.
Kind regards
Dave UK
I did a search of the Common Darter and discovered that it shares the same genus (Sympetrum) as our Autumn Meadowhawk–I guess that means they are related. 🙂
I’m not not surprised Mike as there are to many similarities, Common Darters are abundant throughout the UK emerging as early as May, I have even photographed a couple on the 1st of December due to our temperate climate here in the South West.
Regards
Dave UK