BLUE-FACED MEADOWHAWK
Blue-faced Meadowhawk. This is the easiest meadowhawk to identify. I call these dragonflies "smurfs" because of their blue faces.
Blue-faced Meadowhawks are common in some years but harder to find in others. Their larvae prefer shallow wetlands that dry up in late summer and autumn. This protects them from fish, but it leaves them vulnerable in years following a bad drought.
This is a female Blue-faced Meadowhawk, photographed at Caesar Creek Wildlife Area. Females are yellow and pale blue.
Cox Arboretum has an excellent population of Blue-faced Meadowhawks. I also find them at many other locations, such as Grant Park, Caesar Creek Wildlife Area, Pearl's Fen, Germantown MetroPark, Koogler Reserve, Oakes Quarry, Bill Yeck Park, Siebenthaler Fen, Beavercreek Wildife Area, and Garland Reserve in Fairborn.
Another female Blue-faced Meadowhawk. This species is most often seen from August through October, but I have found tenerals as early as June 14th. My personal late date is October 24th.
This is a younger individual, with less vivid colors than the older males above.
This individual is a female, but she has developed bright red colors like a male.