Libellulidae is a large family containing what are known as the Common Skimmers. These dragonflies are frequently brightly colored.

Here are some of the characteristics which differentiate the family Libellulidae:

• bodies that are brightly colored
• the body is shorter than the wingspan
• wing markings such as bands or spots

The genera of Libellulidae for which I have photographs are listed below.

• Sympetrum is the genus which contains the Meadowhawks. These dragonflies are yellow or red. As their name implies, they are frequently found in meadows.

• Abbott, John C.. Dragonflies and Damselflies of Texas and the South-Central United States: Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2005.
  
• Milne, Lorus J., and Margery Milne. National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Insects and Spiders. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1980.