Shadow Darner
Shadow darner, Aeshna umbrosa, male.
Relatively small blue spots on the abdomen, culminating in no blue at all on the last segment S10, locally identify this as a shadow darner. The paddle-shaped cerci (copulatory appendages at the end of the abdomen, aka claspers) say male. Additional, non-definitive ID points: lateral thoracic stripes shading from blue-green to yellow-green; thin horizontal suture across the face. Citation: Dragonflies and Damselflies of the West/Dennis Paulson.
His claspers are clasping something brown and dried-up looking; they’re used to hold the female during copulation, but that doesn’t look female. So what is it?
Springbrook Trail, Renton, Washington State, October 7, 2021.
Shadow Darner
Shadow darner, Aeshna umbrosa, male.
Relatively small blue spots on the abdomen, culminating in no blue at all on the last segment S10, locally identify this as a shadow darner. The paddle-shaped cerci (copulatory appendages at the end of the abdomen, aka claspers) say male. Additional, non-definitive ID points: lateral thoracic stripes shading from blue-green to yellow-green; thin horizontal suture across the face. Citation: Dragonflies and Damselflies of the West/Dennis Paulson.
His claspers are clasping something brown and dried-up looking; they’re used to hold the female during copulation, but that doesn’t look female. So what is it?
Springbrook Trail, Renton, Washington State, October 7, 2021.