Skimmers
Guides
Sympetrum
meadowhawks, darters
Sympetrum is a genus of small to medium-sized skimmer dragonflies comprising over 50 species. Most species inhabit the temperate zone of the Northern Hemisphere, with 11 species native to Europe and 15 to North America; a few species occur in tropical Africa and South America, but none are native to Australasia. Most species are active in late summer and autumn, breeding in ponds and foraging over meadows. Juveniles are typically yellow-gold, with mature males and some females developing bright red or orange-red coloration; the Holarctic Sympetrum danae is an exception with black males lacking red.