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The Comet Darner (Anax longipes) is a large, colorful dragonfly of parts of the eastern United States. It ranges west to Texas, but it is not usually common there. The shot shown on the left was a digital capture taken in June, 2003, in Austin, Travis Co., Texas and was taken with a Canon EOS 10D and EF 70-200 mm F2.8 L IS lens with a 2X extender and 550 EX flash. This dragon, apparently a female, represents the first documented (photo or specimen) record for Travis County. Since I (and others) have seen this species in the vicinity before and after this photo was taken, it is likely the species has simply been overlooked in this area. For example, on 25 June 2003, while participating in a float trip on the Colorado River from Austin to Hornsby Bend, all in Travis Co., Texas, I observed between 10 and 12 Coment Darners foraging over the river. The next shot, of a male, was taken at the same location with the same camera equipment in September 2003. Scroll down for more photos.
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The next two shots were also taken in Austin, Travis Co., Texas, but with a Canon EOS 1D Mark II and an EF 300mm F/4L IS lens and 2X extender and 580EX flash in April, 2005. |
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The two shots below show a Comet Darner feasting on a Black Saddlebags (Tramea lacerata) in October, 2005, at the same location as the above shots. These two shots were taken with the same equipment as the April, 2005 images.
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