General: Band-winged Meadowhawk Dragonflies (Sympetrum semicinctum) are active daytime fliers. Males are recognized by the red abdomen with black along the bottom edge and black spots atop the last few segments. The wings are red to about half-way out, with the darkest color towards the middle of the wing (forming the "band" on the wing). Sides of the thorax with irregular black lines. The stigma is bi-colored. Females similarly marked, except yellow where the male is red.

These active creatures are harmless to humans, but they are voracious predators of small flying insects such as flies and mosquitoes. There are some good places for Watching Dragonflies Around Las Vegas.

Taxonomy: Order Odonata, Suborder Anisoptera, Family Libellulidae. This species was considered a subspecies or western form of the Western meadowhawk (Sympetrum occidentale), and it is listed that way in some older field guides. It is now widely accepted as the Band-winged Meadowhawk (S. semicinctum).