Autumn Meadowhawk dragonflies (mating pair, in wheel)

A mating pair of Autumn Meadowhawk dragonflies. (Astounding to see dragonflies so late in the year -- completely unexpected!) Odonata, an order of insects including dragonflies and damselflies, reproduce in three stages: in tandem; in wheel (sometimes called "in heart" for damselflies); and oviposition. The dragonflies shown in the preceding photo gallery are "in wheel," in which the male (red abdomen) uses "claspers" at the end of his abdomen to hold the female by her head while they are joined at their abdomens. All dragonflies and damselflies have a 10-segmented abdomen: male dragonfly secondary genitalia are located in segments two and three (2 and 3); female genitalia in segment eight (8).