Sympetrum costiferum
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~30%
Sympetrum costiferum, the saffron-winged meadowhawk, is a dragonfly of the genus Sympetrum. It is found across northern and central United States and most of Canada, including a southern portion of the Northwest Territories.
Its abdomen is yellowish-brown, turning pale red at maturity in both sexes. Juveniles and females have gold (saffron) coloured wing stripes. Veins of males and females are reddish or orange. The sides of the abdomen are marked with black triangles. Some females have amber in basal areas of their wings. Legs are striped in black and yellow or red. Size: 35 mm (1.4 in). This species overlaps with and is difficult to distinguish from both the ruby and white-faced meadowhawks. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Riding Mountain National Park | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 2 | Grand Teton National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Yellowstone National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Saffron-Winged Meadowhawk sighting in Yellowstone National Park on a given day, based on 8 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 118th most-seen of the 160 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 30%, if each day is a fresh chance.
September
In that month about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Saffron-Winged Meadowhawk in Yellowstone National Park on a given day, against under 5% in October to August, the lowest months.
Between noon and 3 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Saffron-Winged Meadowhawk sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
3rd of 3
Of the 3 parks where we can rate Saffron-Winged Meadowhawk sightings, Yellowstone National Park ranks 3rd at under 5%. The best odds are in Riding Mountain National Park (Canada, about 10%) and Grand Teton National Park (United States, about 10%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Saffron-Winged Meadowhawk is recorded against all the insects logged in Yellowstone National Park (8 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), 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.
