Sympetrum internum
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%
Sympetrum internum, the cherry-faced meadowhawk, is a dragonfly of the genus Sympetrum. It is found across northern and central United States and most of Canada, including southern portions of Yukon and the Northwest Territories. Its abdomen is brown, turning dark red at maturity in both sexes. The sides of the abdomen are marked with black triangles and the legs are black. Some females have amber in basal areas of their wings. As their name suggests, faces are dark red when mature. Size: 21–36 mm (0.83–1.42 in). This species overlaps with and is difficult to distinguish from the ruby, saffron-winged, and white-faced meadowhawks. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rocky Mountain National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Yellowstone National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Cherry-Faced Meadowhawk sighting in Calgary on a given day, based on 14 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 131st most-seen of the 256 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 20%, if each day is a fresh chance.
July
In that month about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Cherry-Faced Meadowhawk in Calgary on a given day, against under 5% in August to June, the lowest months.
Between noon and 3 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Cherry-Faced Meadowhawk sightings with a recorded time, and nearly all of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Among the best
Of the 2 cities where we can rate Cherry-Faced Meadowhawk sightings, Calgary ranks 2nd at under 5%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Edmonton (Canada, under 5%).
Same genus: Sympetrum
The closest relatives of the Cherry-Faced Meadowhawk that you can see in Calgary (genus Sympetrum, Meadowhawks) are Black Meadowhawk (about 10%), Variegated Meadowhawk (about 10%) and Band-Winged Meadowhawk (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Cherry-Faced Meadowhawk is recorded against all the insects logged in Calgary (14 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
