Saddlebags
What are they?
A group of readily recognizeable dragonflies related to the gliders, which get their collective name from the large, dark patches at the bases of the hindwings on most species. These are aerial hunters that spend a lot of time on the wing, but they will also hunt from prominent perches, usually at some height from the ground. Like the gliders, many species are great migrants and appear in large swarms in our region in late summer and early fall.
Identification
The aerial habits of these species can sometimes make identification tricky, but perched individuals are usually straightforward. Identification of the red species is usually reliant on the exact size and shape of the colored patches at the bases of the hindwings. Males and females are usually outwardly similar.
Black Saddlebags Tramea lacerata
Length: 2.0-2.1 inches. Flight time: Late April to early November. Widespread and common and likely to be found almost anywhere, even in open areas far from water.
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Carolina Saddlebags Tramea carolina
Length: 2.0 inches. Flight time: Late April to late September. Widespread and common - often abundant - and likely to be found almost anywhere, even in open areas far from water. Most often seen around the coast where it can be seen moving north or south according to the appearance of warm or cold fronts. Note the exact shape of the outer border of the 'saddlebags' on the hind wings, which has a prominent 'peg' on the outer edge with an obvious indent or notch towards the front of the wing but no notch behind it. On the abdomen, note that the black marks towards the distal tip extend down onto the sides.
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Red Saddlebags Tramea onusta
Length: 1.8 inches. Flight time: Early July to late September. A rare vagrant to Cape May County from further west and most likely to be found during big immigration years for the more common saddlebags species. Though New Jersey records are few and far between, this species would be easily overlooked if small numbers occurred in large concentrations of Carolina Saddlebags and should always be looked for in late summer and autumn. Identification is usually reliant on the shape of the 'saddlebag' at the base of the hindwing. On this species, there is a transparent 'hollow' towards the front of the red patch and the prominent 'peg' on the outer edge has an obvious indent or notch both in front of and behind it.
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Striped Saddlebags Tramea calverti
Length: 1.9 inches. Flight time: Late June to late October. An irregular vagrant to Cape May County from further south and most likely to be found during big immigration years for the more common saddlebags species. Identification is usually reliant on the shape of the 'saddlebag' at the base of the hindwing. On this species, it is very reduced and straight-edged, appearing almost like a thickening of the abdomen. Females can further be identified by a pale stripe on the side of the thorax.
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