Dragonflies and Damselflies
Those Darn Darners
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 In September, the Damselflies are much scarcer so instead of spending a lot of time at one place, I cruised from place to place and often got only one species in each place.  There were a lot of large blue Dragonflies flying around, after many many many misses I did manage to net a few of them.

Black-tipped Darner
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© 2007 All rights reserved

The area where they were was a man-made fire hole.

Black-tipped Darner
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© 2007 All rights reserved

 Normally when I grab large Dragonflies, they rest for a few seconds after they are released then fly off.

Black-tipped Darner
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© 2007 All rights reserved

This is a Black-tipped Darner, Aeshna tuberculifera.  There were two or three of these guys flying around.  I was quite excited to get this one. 

Black-tipped Darner
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© 2007 All rights reserved

 This particular Dragonfly did not fly off.  I got quite a few photos then set him down on a post.  He still did not fly away, he even let me pick him back up.  I looked closely and noticed what appears to be a hole in his thorax.  Check out the above photo and you can see what I mean.  I collected him thinking that he probably would not do well if I left him there.

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