The meadowhawks (genus Sympetrum) are small skimmers of mid-late summer and early fall. Wisconsin hosts 8 species and although most are common, they can be extremely difficult to tell apart, especially without capture. Coloration on the face, legs, and wing veins are important for identification, but even with good photos a conclusive ID may be impossible. The Variegated Meadowhawk is an exception because its abdomen is uniquely marked with silver bands on either a red (males) or yellow-orange (females) abdomen. Both sexes also show orange or yellow veins along the leading edge of the wings. They are migratory and can be found scattered across Wisconsin from April to October!