Several mating pairs of Autumn Meadowhawk dragonflies (Sympetrum vicinum) were spotted during a photowalk around a vernal pool at a remote location in Huntley Meadows Park, Fairfax County, Virginia USA.
22 OCT 2017 | HMP | Autumn Meadowhawk (mating pair, “in wheel“)
Both pairs are “in wheel“: the male is on top; the female is on the bottom.
All odonates (dragonflies and damselflies) have a 10-segmented abdomen, numbered from front to back. Male dragonfly secondary genitalia, called hamules, are located in segments two and three (S2 and S3); female genitalia in segment eight (S8). Dragonflies form the mating wheel in order for their genitalia to connect during copulation.
22 OCT 2017 | HMP | Autumn Meadowhawk (mating pair, “in wheel“)
Editor’s Note: Careful readers may be thinking “Hey, wait a minute — you said you spotted several mating pairs, but the post features photos of just two pairs.” Good catch! The photos of two more mating pairs didn’t make the final cut because the focus was slightly soft in all of those photos.
Copyright © 2018 Walter Sanford. All rights reserved.
Tags: Autumn Meadowhawk dragonfly, Family Libellulidae (Skimmers), hamules, Huntley Meadows Park, in wheel, mating pair, Sympetrum vicinum, vernal pool
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