The Dragonflies and Damselflies of North Carolina
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North Carolina's 189 Odonate species
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Related Species in LIBELLULIDAE: Number of records for 2024 = 0

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[View PDF]		White-faced Meadowhawk (Sympetrum obtrusum) main photo: Scott King. 2015-07-03 Roseau County, MN; inset photo: Curt Oien.
Compare with: Autumn Meadowhawk   Ruby Meadowhawk   Band-winged Meadowhawk   Cherry-faced 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 females.
Male White-faced, Cherry-faced, and Ruby Meadowhawks cannot be identified reliably without a clear closeup photo of the hamule; see inset photo below.
Sympetrum_obtrusum

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Click on county for list of all its records for White-faced Meadowhawk
Flight Charts
Distribution One of many far Northern meadowhawks, this species' southern end of the range barely reaches NC, where limited to the extreme northern mountains. Records only for Ashe, Watauga, and Avery counties.
Abundance Presumed very rare to rare in the very limited portion of the range, though it has been found in recent years in each of the three counties within the known range.
Flight Mid-summer to fall only, with the NC records from 8 August to 2 October.
Habitat Still or slow-moving water of lakes, ponds, slow sections of streams, marshes, and bogs.
Behavior Adults forage in nearby fields or clearings near water, perching on the tips of grasses and forbs.
Comments Males have intense red abdomens and a white face, rendering them very striking. However, Ruby Meadowhawk males are also bright red, though their face is not white. Ted Wilcox has provided several excellent photos from Ashe County, which provided a new county record; Curtis Smalling photographed one in 2011 from Watauga County; and Ed Corey added an Avery County record in 2008. Duncan Cuyler's database has a record just for Watauga County. NOTE: White-faced, Cherry-faced, and Ruby meadowhawks are very difficult to identify reliably from a single typical aspect photo. Whenever possible, clear closeup photographs of the male hamules or female subgenital plate should be provided.
State Rank S1
State Status SR
Global Rank G5
Federal Status
Synonym
Other Name
Species account update: LeGrand on 2021-02-09 16:12:19
Photo Gallery for White-faced Meadowhawk   3 photos are shown. Other NC Galleries:    Jeff Pippen    Will Cook    Ted Wilcox
Photo 1 by: Curtis Smalling

Comment: Watauga, 2011-08-08, Meat Camp Creek Environmental Studies Area - Ruby Meadowhawks also seen this day. Although the white face coloration is suggestive of S. obtrusum, positive identification to species is not possible based on this photo because it does not clearly show the hamules.		Photo 2 by: Ted WIlcox

Comment: Ashe County, 2005-10-02, male. Although the white face coloration is suggestive of S. obtrusum, positive identification to species is not possible based on this photo because it does not clearly show the hamules.
Photo 3 by: Ted WIlcox

Comment: Ashe, 2005-09-18