Paddle-Tailed  Darner  Aeshna palmata Female- Big Springs Hollow Home      Dragonfly    Details Male    Female-Big Cottonwood Big Springs Hollow Shows black line across face - Also note the top thorax stripes just in back of the eyes Photo showing the side stripes on thorax.  Also note the faint  greenish yellow stripe on the top of thorax Topside of Appendages Underside of Appendages Side View of Appendages

Photo Details - ©Nicky Davis 1. August 7, 2009, Big Springs Hollow, South Fork of Provo Canyon, Utah County, Utah GPS: N. 40.20.0585, W. 111.31.2668 Elevation: 5723 Dennis Paulson and Alan Myrup identified this dragon as probably Paddle-tailed Darner.  Here is the rationale given by Dennis Paulson. "I think Alan Myrup is right about the female darner being a Paddle-tailed. It's not Blue-eyed or California, because it doesn't have the right pattern of T-spot on top of the frons. In the two Rhionaeschna, there is a prominent light spot on either side of the black T-spot, then blending with the color of the rest of the frons. None of the Aeshna darners have that contrasting pair of spots. As Alan said, the bump under abdominal segment 1 that distinguishes Rhionaeschna is also not obvious, although I suppose it could be present. It's not California because of the date and the lack of dark edges to the lateral thoracic stripes. The two really similar ones are female Paddle-tailed and Variable, and that's where the problem lines. Both have a black line across the face and more or less straight thoracic stripes. The thoracic stripes are probably broad enough to indicate Paddle-tailed, and the cerci seem large and pointed, whereas those of Variable are a bit shorter and usually rounded. So I would go with Paddle-tailed, but this is a tough call. " Characteristics Black facial line Thin stripes on top of thorax Flared paddle-shaped appendages with small spine located near small stream black legs