Variegated Meadowhawk Sympetrum corruptum

An exclusively North American dragonfly with a strikingly patterned abdomen, this species earns its "variegated" name from its splashed and blotched coloration. "Corruptum" hints at early taxonomic confusion—early naturalists thought it was something else entirely, creating a name that literally means "corrupted" or "false." Despite its slightly disreputable name origin, it's a capable and voracious predator of mosquitoes and small flies, earning its place as a valued ally in gardens and meadows throughout the continent.