Like many dragonflies, variegated meadowhawks show some sexual dimorphism: the male, at upper left and lower right, is redder than the female (upper right, and elsewhere on the page), especially on the face.   Variegated meadowhawks are very common in much of California, including desert areas many km from standing water.   Their flight season persists later than that of many dragonflies and they frequently can be found very late in the autumn.   Several individuals near the bottom of the page are in the 'obelisk' posture with the abdomen held vertically; depending on orientation this can either increase or decrease the absorption of solar heat.   Near the bottom is a photo of a rather confused male meadowhawk clasping an equally confused female blue dasher.   I took the pictures with a long telephoto lens at the San Jacinto Wildlife Area near Riverside, California.
            More variegated meadowhawk images are on this page.