A Band-winged Meadowhawk

Band-winged Meadowhawk 

Sympetrum semicinctum

formerly Western Meadowhawk -Sympetrum occidentale

Native
Status: Uncommon

Size: medium

Length - 28 - 36 mm

Wing span - 45 - 55 mm

Eye color - male: dark rusty red; female: red over green

Face color - male: dark rusty red; female: light gold

Thorax color - male: brownish red with 3 uneven black stripes; female: greenish-yellow with 3 uneven black stripes

Abdomen color - black on segments 8-9; male: vermilion over black female: gold over black 

Stigma color - deep blackish red

Wing color - male: mostly clear with hind wing having a rusty orange semicircle in the half near the body;  female: clear with small golden patches near the body on the leading edge of the wings

Leg color - black

Habitat - weedy ponds, lakes

Behavior - perches low on vegetation

Flight period - April - November

Range - Central part of North America, from coast to coast. In California in the hilly and mountainous areas

(source:google/http://kern.audubon.org)