One of the dragonflies we saw the first morning in Virginia was the Calico Pennant. This is a small dragonfly – smaller than our meadowhawks in Washington – but what it lacks in size it makes up for in appearance. Through the binoculars this is a brilliant dragonfly, with intricate patterns in the wings and heart-shaped reddish spots lined up along the abdomen. You can't fail to notice a Calico Pennant, and their high perching index of 80 - 90% ensures lots of good viewing opportunities. Here are a few male Calico Pennants from Virginia:
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| One of the first male Calico Pennants we saw. There's a lot going on in this small dragonfly. |
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| Calico Pennants can look like a miniature saddlebags on the wing, but then you notice the extra spots on the wings. |
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| A Calico Pennant stands out from its surroundings. |
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| The wings and abdomen have interesting patterns and colors. We never tired of looking at this dragonfly. |
Pennants are named their habit of perching on the top of a stem and orienting themselves to face into the prevailing winds – just like a pennant at the top of a flagpole.
Thank you for this great description and photos of the Calico Pennant. I photographed some today in Ontario, Canada. I was having trouble identifying them because they had more markings than the Red Saddlebag.
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