Aeshna mixta (female)
Aeshna mixta (female, ovipositing on floating plants)
English name:	Migrant Hawker
Dutch name:	Paardenbijter
Photo taken in our backyard in Gouda, NL, 15th of August, 1996, and Voornes Duin, 22nd of August 2004 (respectively)

Note: The stripes on the shoulder (antehumeral stripes) most Aeshnids have are reduced to small dots with this species. On segment 1 there's a triangular, spike like spot. Small compared to other Aeshnids.
As the English name implies, these dragonflies are migratory. There's millions of them in the Netherlands each summer, but they don't reproduce here often: nearly all individuals found here in summer are born in countries more to the south.

The second photo is also available as a high-resolution (800x600 pixels) version. Click here to see that larger sized picture.