Montana Field Guide

The cherry-faced meadowhawk is a small-sized, red dragonfly, each wing somewhat clear with reddish stigmas. This is Montana's most ubiquitous and widespread meadowhawk. Thorax dark red, abdomen brillant red on top, with some black triangles approaching from underneath. Occurs in many types of lentic habitats, including ponds and marshes that dry up in the summertime.

Adult flight season is June to Sept (Paulson 2009).

This meadowhawk can be found some distance from water sources as it wanders in search of new habitats to colonize.

The preferred habitat of the Cherry-faced Meadowhawk is shallow ponds and lakes, often ones that dry up in summer, as well as marshes, bogs, and slow streams (Dunkle 2000, Paulson 2009).

Larvae feed on a wide variety of aquatic insects, such as mosquito larvae, other aquatic fly larvae, mayfly larvae, and freshwater shrimp. They will also eat very small fish and tadpoles.
Adult- The dragonfly will eat almost any soft-bodied flying insect including mosquitoes, flies, small moths, mayflies, and flying ants or termites.

The larvae live in debris on the bottom of ponds, lakes, and streams. They do not actively pursue prey, but are sit and wiat predators. Naiads emerge as adults at night. Adults generally fly from early July to October. Hunting occurs from perches on rocks or bare branches. This species has a high tolerance for cold climates, and is found as far north as the Great Slave Lake in the Northwest Territories of Canada

Male Cherry-faced Meadowhawks are territorial and oviposition is usually completed in tandem where the eggs are dropped while in flight onto moist substrate (Dunkle 2000, Paulson 2009).

Populations are widespread, abundant, and secure.