Celithemis eponina

Family: Libellulidae

Halloween Pennant (Celithemis eponina) is one of the most distinctive skimmer dragonflies in the region. Its amber-orange wings, bold dark bands, and red to orange pterostigmas give it a stained-glass look in bright summer light. It often perches at the tip of a slender stem or grass blade, rocking in the breeze like a tiny flag above ponds, marshes, wet meadows, and weedy shoreline edges.

For representative images and visual context, see the page: Halloween Pennant in the Gallery section.

Description

Celithemis eponina is generally recognized by:

Overall form: medium-sized skimmer dragonfly with a slim, dark abdomen and broad, showy wings
Size: about 38 mm long, often appearing delicate compared with larger skimmers
Color pattern: warm orange, amber, brown, and black tones; mature males tend to show richer orange and reddish tones
Thorax: orange-brown to amber-brown with darker striping or shading on the sides
Abdomen: mostly dark to blackish, often with orange dorsal spots or marks, especially noticeable in mature individuals
Wings: translucent amber to orange-yellow with bold dark brown bands; mature males may show red-orange wing veins and red pterostigmas
Wing posture: held open and outward at rest, typical of dragonflies
Eyes: reddish over brown in mature males; females and younger individuals are usually more yellow-brown or amber-toned
Sex differences: males are usually brighter orange-red, while females and immature males tend to be yellower with softer brown markings

The overall impression is a small, vividly patterned dragonfly with warm amber wings and dark banding. When perched in open light, the wings can glow like stained glass.

Habitat and Behavior

Typical habitats include:

ponds, marshes, lakes, wet meadows, slow-water edges, and weedy shorelines
emergent vegetation, grasses, sedges, reeds, bare stems, and sunny open perches near still or slow water

Behavioral notes:

Perching: often sits at the very tip of a grass stem, seedhead, twig, or reed
Flight: light, fluttery, and somewhat butterfly-like compared with more direct-flying skimmers
Territorial behavior: males often use exposed perches, making short flights and returning to the same or nearby stems
Seasonality: most often a mid- to late-summer species in Minnesota and the Upper Midwest
Activity: usually seen singly or in loose concentrations around suitable wetland edges

The “pennant” name fits its behavior well. Halloween Pennants frequently perch high on flexible stems and sway visibly in the wind.

Identification

Key features for field diagnosis:

Size and build: medium-small skimmer with a slender abdomen and broad, patterned wings
Thoracic pattern: warm orange-brown thorax with darker striping or shading
Abdominal markings: dark abdomen with orange dorsal markings; abdomen is not clubbed
Wing markings and posture: amber-orange wings with bold dark brown bands; wings held open at rest
Eye placement and color: large dragonfly eyes meeting broadly above; reddish to brownish tones depending on age and sex
Male appendages: usually not necessary for field identification when the wing pattern is clear
Female traits: generally yellower and less red-orange than mature males, but still strongly patterned
Behavioral cues: exposed tip-perching on grasses and stems, often rocking in the breeze

Photographic identification is usually reliable when the wings are visible. A side or slightly dorsal view showing the full wing pattern is often enough. Worn individuals, backlit photos, or partly hidden wings may require more caution.

Similar Species

Use this section to distinguish Celithemis eponina from likely lookalikes.

Calico Pennant (Celithemis elisa): smaller and more spotted-looking, with a different black-and-yellow or black-and-red pattern; lacks the broad amber-orange wash and heavy Halloween Pennant wing banding
Eastern Amberwing (Perithemis tenera): much smaller, with amber wings but without the same bold dark crossbands; often appears more uniformly golden or orange
Painted Skimmer (Libellula semifasciata): has warm wing patches but is larger and patterned differently, with clearer wings beyond the basal markings
Banded Pennant (Celithemis fasciata): another patterned pennant, but its wing bands and body pattern differ; check range carefully because it is less likely in many Upper Midwest locations

For Halloween Pennant, the combination of amber-orange wings, dark brown wing bands, exposed tip-perching, and red-orange mature male details is usually distinctive.

Ecology and Notes

Halloween Pennant is widespread and often common in suitable Minnesota wetland habitat. It favors sunny, vegetated edges where stems, grasses, and seedheads provide elevated perches.

Field notes to watch for:

adults using the same perch repeatedly
wing color glowing strongly in backlight or side light
individuals perching well back from water in weedy vegetation
females and immature males showing yellower tones than mature males
red pterostigmas and reddish facial tones in mature males

This is a very photo-friendly species because it often returns to an exposed perch. A clean background, side light, and a slightly lower shooting angle can make the wing pattern stand out strongly.

References

Odonata Central https://www.odonatacentral.org/
BugGuide species page https://bugguide.net/node/view/2591
Minnesota Seasons https://www.minnesotaseasons.com/Insects/Halloween_pennant.html
National Park Service — Mississippi National River & Recreation Area https://www.nps.gov/miss/learn/nature/halloweenpennant.htm
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service https://www.fws.gov/species/halloween-pennant-celithemis-eponina
Wisconsin Odonata Survey https://wiatri.net/inventory/odonata/SpeciesAccounts/SpeciesDetail.cfm?TaxaID=131