While we didn't catch him in flagrante delicto, we're pretty sure Dragonfly-Slayer Cicero damaged a Paddle-tailed Darner, (
Aeshna palmata) late this afternoon. I'd seen him pawing at something (I'd assumed a mouse) in the tall grassland next door, and discovered the darner on the walkway by our house a few minutes later.
At first I thought it was dead, but it had a very strong grip on the concrete. I offered a dry twig for it to crawl on, and it pulled itself up onto my hand. I didn't see any holes it its body, but I noticed as I was photographing it that it wasn't moving its lower wings.
The unrepentant monster was fairly certain I had carried off his prize, but wasn't exactly sure where I'd placed it. Also, he didn't want to be photographed.
We're growing some corn, and I placed the dragonfly onto a stalk, flicked some fountain water onto it, and took some photos.
I checked on it after dusk, and it had climbed up under a fold in the corn leaves, so I'm hoping it will rest the night out and fly away in the morning.
At first I thought it was dead, but it had a very strong grip on the concrete. I offered a dry twig for it to crawl on, and it pulled itself up onto my hand. I didn't see any holes it its body, but I noticed as I was photographing it that it wasn't moving its lower wings. 
The unrepentant monster was fairly certain I had carried off his prize, but wasn't exactly sure where I'd placed it. Also, he didn't want to be photographed.
We're growing some corn, and I placed the dragonfly onto a stalk, flicked some fountain water onto it, and took some photos.
I checked on it after dusk, and it had climbed up under a fold in the corn leaves, so I'm hoping it will rest the night out and fly away in the morning.
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