Pacific Spiketail, Cordulegaster dorsalis, Female

On June 16, 2009, Kathy Biggs found this spiketail, perched along her driveway.
She first took photos, then captured it, scanned it and released it.
Her husband Dave then took addtional photos of it where they perched it by their pond, before it flew away, undamaged.

Scans:



Note, because we wanted to release her undamaged, we did not cool her sufficiently to prevent her 'wiggling' - 15-30 minutes in the meat compartment of a refrigerator is usually enuf cooling, but not for her!


Before capture (captured by hand, not with a net so as to assure no damage)


Where she was found, only inches off the ground.

After release: