“It ain’t over till it’s over” is a phrase commonly associated with baseball player/coach/manager Yogi Berra. In this case, “it” refers to odonate season and it’s not over in Northern Virginia till Autumn Meadowhawk dragonflies (Sympetrum vicinum) disappear. Clearly, it ain’t over although “the end is near.”
This individual is a female, as indicated by her red/tan coloration and terminal appendages.

14 OCT 2020 | Huntley Meadows Park | Autumn Meadowhawk (female)
“It ain’t over till the fat lady sings” is a similar saying that is often attributed to Yogi Berra mistakenly. “The fat lady” refers to the fact that many female dragonflies, such as Autumn Meadowhawk, have a wider body than males of the same species.
Look closely at the full-size version of the preceding photo. Notice what appears to be an egg mass located on the underside of her body, near the tip of the abdomen.
Copyright © 2020 Walter Sanford. All rights reserved.
Tags: Autumn Meadowhawk dragonfly, Family Libellulidae (Skimmers), female, Huntley Meadows Park, Sympetrum vicinum, terminal appendages
November 2, 2020 at 4:07 pm |
We’re lucky down here in Florida to have an extended season for odes.
I love your photographs with such a colorful subject! Your “Yogi-isms” are also terrific. I am reminded of one more, which applies to some of us who like to explore nature:
“You can observe a lot by just watching.”
Enjoy your week!
November 2, 2020 at 6:58 pm |
I think I will use your Yogi-ism in a future blog post, Wally.
November 2, 2020 at 7:26 pm |
It’s not mine. All Yogi!