NC Odonate Website

Related Species in LIBELLULIDAE:

Number of records for 2025 = 0

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Blue-faced Meadowhawk (Sympetrum ambiguum) by John Petranka

Compare with: Autumn Meadowhawk
Identification Tips: Move the cursor over the image, or tap the image if using a mobile device, to reveal ID Tips.
Note: these identification tips apply specifically to mature males; features may differ in immature males and in females.

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Map

Click on county for list of all its records for Blue-faced Meadowhawk

Flight Charts

Distribution

Throughout the Piedmont and the western 3/4th of the Coastal Plain. Apparently absent in far eastern counties (no records east of Gates, Beaufort, and Pamlico counties). Scattered in the mountains, but presumably rare to absent at middle and higher elevations.

Abundance

Uncommon to locally fairly common, but easily overlooked, in the Piedmont and Coastal Plain. Rare in the mountains, as well as in the eastern Coastal Plain.

Flight

Downstate, occurs from very late May to late November (and sparingly to mid-December in the Coastal Plain), though mainly is present from late July to late October. In the mountains, the meager dates fall between late August and late October. One of the relatively few dragonflies whose peak numbers are in the fall season (e.g., September and early October).

Habitat

Small, semi-shaded or shaded pools in floodplains, swamps, or marshes.

See also Habitat Account for General Wet-Hydric Forests

Behavior

Although they may perch on or near the ground, adults often perch on twigs or leaves fairly high off the ground, typically 5 feet or higher, and thus are not as readily seen as most other pennants/gliders/skimmers, especially when these perches are along a forest edge. Also, their feeding bouts do not take them often to the margins of pools and ponds.

Comments

Males are quite colorful, with their reddish abdomen (with black spots), blue eyes, and blue-green face. But, their habit of perching somewhat high, often in shade or partial shade in moist woods and borders, combined with a fairly small size (under 1.5 inches), makes them hard to become familiar with (despite records for over 75% of the NC counties).

State Rank

State Status

Global Rank

Federal Status

Synonym

Other Name

Species account update: LeGrand on 2023-01-24 15:16:21

The Dragonflies and Damselflies of North Carolina
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Photo Gallery for Blue-faced Meadowhawk 48 photos are available. Only the most recent 30 are shown.		Other NC Galleries: Jeff Pippen Will Cook Ted Wilcox
	Photo 1 by: Mark Shields Comment: Carteret, 2024-11-16, Emerald Isle Woods Park - female		Photo 2 by: Amy Padgett Comment: Bladen, 2024-10-26, 2 miles SE of Clarkton - 2:45P near stream at edge of swamp
	Photo 3 by: B. Bockhahn Comment: Henderson, 2024-09-05, Bat Fork Bog		Photo 4 by: Amy Padgett Comment: Bladen, 2024-05-06, Boggy field 2 miles SE of Clarkton, NC - 10:41AM in a small clearing
	Photo 5 by: Amy Padgett Comment: Bladen, 2023-11-08, Agricultural fields adjacent to swamp 2 miles SE of Clarkton, NC - 3:29PM in fields		Photo 6 by: Kevin Metcalf Comment: Alexander, 2023-10-19, First Alexander County record in this database. Rocky Face Mountain Recreation Area.
	Photo 7 by: Ken Kneidel Comment: Mecklenburg, 2023-08-17, wooded city park, very small stream nearby		Photo 8 by: Mark Shields Comment: Pender, 2023-05-07, Sandy Run State Natural Area - teneral males
	Photo 9 by: Mark Shields Comment: Onslow, 2021-12-05, my property, Holly Ridge - female with red abdomen		Photo 10 by: Chuck Smith Comment: Rowan, 2021-09-28, Eagle Point Nature Preserve. - Including mated pair.
	Photo 11 by: Matt Spangler Comment: Chatham, 2021-09-24, Jordan Lake--Bush Creek Marsh		Photo 12 by: P Dixon Comment: Madison, 2021-09-19, Hot Springs area
	Photo 13 by: Harry LeGrand, Lori Arent Comment: Durham, 2021-09-19, Flat River impoundments - perched on ground; photo by Lori Arent		Photo 14 by: Mark Shields Comment: Scotland, 2020-10-18, Sandhills Game Land - male
	Photo 15 by: Adam Prince Comment: Wake, 2020-09-16, Prairie Ridge Ecostation in Raleigh		Photo 16 by: P Dixon Comment: Madison, 2019-10-25, Broadwing Farm, afternoon, sunny, 70s
	Photo 17 by: P Dixon Comment: Madison, 2019-10-07, Hot Springs		Photo 18 by: P Dixon Comment: Madison, 2019-10-07, Hot Springs
	Photo 19 by: Mike Turner Comment: Richmond; C, 2018-11-03, Sandhill Game Land-SR 1422 (Ledbetter Rd.) - adult males		Photo 20 by: Joe Donahue Comment: Alamance, 2018-08-30, 3411 Longview Drive in Burlington
	Photo 21 by: Mike Turner Comment: Yadkin, 2018-08-26, Pilot Mountain State Park - Yadkin River section		Photo 22 by: Mark Shields Comment: New Hanover, 2017-11-25, Carolina Beach State Park (CABE), limesink ponds - female
	Photo 23 by: Vin Stanton Comment: Buncombe, 2017-10-03, Carrier Park, Asheville, 35.56731° N 82.56887° W - Male		Photo 24 by: Vin Stanton, Janie Owens, Gail Lankford Comment: Madison, 2017-09-19, River Road, north of Hot Springs 35.92085° -82.87313° - Male
	Photo 25 by: Vin Stanton, Janie Owens, Gail Lankford Comment: Madison, 2017-09-19, River Road, north of Hot Springs 35.92085° -82.87313° - Male		Photo 26 by: Vin Stanton Comment: Buncombe, 2017-09-05, Carrier Park, Asheville, 35.56731° N 82.56887° W - Male
	Photo 27 by: J. A. Anderson Comment: Surry, 2017-08-22, Pilot Mountain State Park - Along farm pond at Pilot Creek Access @ -80.496575, 36.361118		Photo 28 by: Mark Shields Comment: New Hanover, 2016-11-19, limesink ponds at Carolina Beach State Park - 3 pairs in wheel, 1 lone male
	Photo 29 by: Ted Wilcox Comment: Caldwell, 2016-09-03, Wagner Property (private) - Males		Photo 30 by: Joe Lafferty Comment: Brunswick, 2014-10-17, - old Angels Trace Golf Course, Sunset Beach