Just got back from my granddaughter's graduation from the May's School of Business at Texas A&M. So proud!
While there I got a chance to survey dragons near the Austin/Bergstrom Airport at Southeast Metro Park. The first is a female Eastern Ringtail (Erpetogomphus designatus). They are from the Family Gomphidae and have a moderately clubbed tail. The male is pretty much colored the same.

Eastern Ringtail (Erpetogomphus designatus) ♀ by Tony Schoch, on Flickr

Next is a female Four-striped Leaftail (Phyllogomphoides stigmatus). It is also in the Family Gomphidae. It can be confused with the Five-striped Leaftail. They are however smaller, marked with 5 stripes on the thorax and more rare than designatus

Four-striped Leaftail (Phyllogomphoides stigmatus) ♀ by Tony Schoch, on Flickr

Another clubtail I got to shoot was the Sulphur-tipped Clubtail (Phanogomphus militaris). The first one is a male.

Sulphur-tipped Clubtail (Phanogomphus militaris) ♂ by Tony Schoch, on Flickr

The normal habitat for this clubtail is ponds, lakes, streams and slow-moving rivers with muddy bottoms. The hunting strategy for these clubtails is to perch on the ground or on flat surfaces near the ground to fly out and back at intervals to capture flying insects. The fact that most of these clubtails perch on the ground most of the time doesn't always give you a good background for the photos.
Here is female of the same species.

Sulphur-tipped Clubtail (Phanogomphus militaris) ♀ by Tony Schoch, on Flickr

Here is a male Swift Setwing (Dythemis velox). A common dragonfly in these parts. The setwing moniker comes from the way the wings are held when perched. This is not typical for most species.

Swift Setwing (Dythemis velox) by Tony Schoch, on Flickr

I hope you enjoyed them. I sure enjoyed hunting them except for the near 100º heat.
Have a great day. Stay safe and well my friends.
>i< Doc

Just got back from my granddaughter's graduation from the May's School of Business at Texas A&M. So proud!
While there I got a chance to survey dragons near the Austin/Bergstrom Airport at Southeast Metro Park. The first is a female Eastern Ringtail (Erpetogomphus designatus). They are from the Family Gomphidae and have a moderately clubbed tail. The male is pretty much colored the same.

Eastern Ringtail (Erpetogomphus designatus) ♀ by Tony Schoch, on Flickr

Next is a female Four-striped Leaftail (Phyllogomphoides stigmatus). It is also in the Family Gomphidae. It can be confused with the Five-striped Leaftail. They are however smaller, marked with 5 stripes on the thorax and more rare than designatus

Four-striped Leaftail (Phyllogomphoides stigmatus) ♀ by Tony Schoch, on Flickr

Another clubtail I got to shoot was the Sulphur-tipped Clubtail (Phanogomphus militaris). The first one is a male.

Sulphur-tipped Clubtail (Phanogomphus militaris) ♂ by Tony Schoch, on Flickr

The normal habitat for this clubtail is ponds, lakes, streams and slow-moving rivers with muddy bottoms. The hunting strategy for these clubtails is to perch on the ground or on flat surfaces near the ground to fly out and back at intervals to capture flying insects. The fact that most of these clubtails perch on the ground most of the time doesn't always give you a good background for the photos.
Here is female of the same species.

Sulphur-tipped Clubtail (Phanogomphus militaris) ♀ by Tony Schoch, on Flickr

Here is a male Swift Setwing (Dythemis velox). A common dragonfly in these parts. The setwing moniker comes from the way the wings are held when perched. This is not typical for most species.

Swift Setwing (Dythemis velox) by Tony Schoch, on Flickr

I hope you enjoyed them. I sure enjoyed hunting them except for the near 100º heat.
Have a great day. Stay safe and well my friends.
>i< Doc

Just got back from my granddaughter's graduation from the May's School of Business at Texas A&M. So proud!
While there I got a chance to survey dragons near the Austin/Bergstrom Airport at Southeast Metro Park. The first is a female Eastern Ringtail (Erpetogomphus designatus). They are from the Family Gomphidae and have a moderately clubbed tail. The male is pretty much colored the same.

Eastern Ringtail (Erpetogomphus designatus) ♀ by Tony Schoch, on Flickr

Next is a female Four-striped Leaftail (Phyllogomphoides stigmatus). It is also in the Family Gomphidae. It can be confused with the Five-striped Leaftail. They are however smaller, marked with 5 stripes on the thorax and more rare than designatus

Four-striped Leaftail (Phyllogomphoides stigmatus) ♀ by Tony Schoch, on Flickr

Another clubtail I got to shoot was the Sulphur-tipped Clubtail (Phanogomphus militaris). The first one is a male.

Sulphur-tipped Clubtail (Phanogomphus militaris) ♂ by Tony Schoch, on Flickr

The normal habitat for this clubtail is ponds, lakes, streams and slow-moving rivers with muddy bottoms. The hunting strategy for these clubtails is to perch on the ground or on flat surfaces near the ground to fly out and back at intervals to capture flying insects. The fact that most of these clubtails perch on the ground most of the time doesn't always give you a good background for the photos.
Here is female of the same species.

Sulphur-tipped Clubtail (Phanogomphus militaris) ♀ by Tony Schoch, on Flickr

Here is a male Swift Setwing (Dythemis velox). A common dragonfly in these parts. The setwing moniker comes from the way the wings are held when perched. This is not typical for most species.

Swift Setwing (Dythemis velox) by Tony Schoch, on Flickr

I hope you enjoyed them. I sure enjoyed hunting them except for the near 100º heat.
Have a great day. Stay safe and well my friends.
>i< Doc