The first week of November started out very pleasant with mild days and highs above 70 degrees—a little bit of very late Indian summer. I have seen some small flies flying around, a few small wasps, even a couple of cabbage white butterflies. Even though we have had some pretty good frosts, there is still one species of dragonfly around to see.

This is probably the last couple of weeks to see the autumn meadowhawk (Sympetrum vicinum) if the weather remains mild. They are the last flyers of the fall, and the last day to see them will be dependent on how fast the colder weather arrives. Like most dragonfly species, the males are more colorful; they sport brilliant red abdomens while females are more of a rust colored brown. With the autumn meadowhawk, the color difference between sexes is not as evident as it is with many other species of dragonflies.

Anywhere near lakes, ponds, or slow-moving streams is a good spot to find autumn meadowhawks. The pond featured in the October 28 issue of River Talk about the Bridge Preserve had a fair population. Walker Lake in Shohola, PA had a good population, but this year, there was a steep decline of autumn meadowhawks observed; the jury is still out on the cause.

If you get out, pick a mild day early in the month before hard frost or snow hits; even though the leaves have left the trees, you still might see an autumn treat near the water, even as skeins of high flying geese are heard winging their way south.