The Dragonflies
(Insecta: Odonata)
of the Columbia Basin, British Columbia:
Field Surveys, Collections Development and Public Education
Table
of Contents
Return to Genus Sympetrum
Sympetrum vicinum
(Hagen)*
Yellow-legged Meadowhawk
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Provincial Status
CDC rank: S3S4
Blue List
S. vicinum is rare in the southern interior of British Columbia;
it is known only from the southern Okanagan Valley and the Kootenay
Valley at Creston. It is more common on the south coast. Columbia-Kootenay
Distribution
S. vicinum is known only from the Creston marshes.
Global Distribution
S. vicinum ranges throughout southeastern Canada and the
eastern United States. West of Ontario and the Mississippi River,
records are sporadic except in the Pacific Northwest where, especially
along the Pacific Coast, it is common. Faunal element: Austral (see
Appendix 2).
Biological information
S. vicinum lives in ponds, slow streams and lakes with dense
emergent vegetation. While in tandem, the female deposits her eggs
along the banks in moss or vegetation very close to, or in, the
water. The eggs will not hatch until submerged in water (Cannings
and Stuart 1977). The adults rest on bushes, tall herbs and grasses
(Walker and Corbet 1975). This species has the latest flight period
of any species in British Columbia, or North America, for that matter.
In British Columbia, records are from 20 July to 12 November (Cannings
and Stuart 1977, Cannings 1998). The only Columbia Basin date is
7 October 1988 (E. Taylor, see Appendix 3).
Management and protection considerations
Wetlands, particularly in low lying areas, always run the risk of
being drained, filled for development or polluted. Undoubtedly many
wetlands in the southern interior of the province have already been
lost. Management practices that ensure the continued viability of
wetlands should be followed. Remaining wetlands that appear suitable
for this species should be protected or at least the impacts of
disturbance such as livestock trampling or polluted runoff should
be minimized. Disturbance by cattle and waterside development are
of particular concern for this species because it lives critical
parts of its life at the very edge of the wetland.
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