Biologist Jeffrey Mengler answers participants questions about Hine's emerald dragonfly management at Lockport Prairie Nature Preserve. Photo by Lynn Rotunno.

Field tour participant photographs flying Hine's emerald dragonfly at Lockport Prairie Nature Preserve.  Photo by Lynn Rotunno.

Perched adult Hine's emerald dragonfly. Photo by Tom Velat, Forest Preserve District of DuPage County.

Local officials, industry representatives, and interested citizens were invited to a field tour at Lockport Prairie Nature Preserve to see adult Hine's emerald dragonflies on the wing.   The tour was hosted by the Lower DesPlaines Ecosystem Partnership and lead by US Fish and Wildlife Service biologists Jeffrey Mengler and Kristopher Lah.   It was offered to give local industry, NGOs, and government officials who are cooperating with the USFWS in the protection of this endangered species a chance to actually see the critter in the wild.    On a hot and sultry summer morning, 25 people got what they came for -- the dragonfly was cooperative and territorial patrols were observed.  Field tour leaders also discussed various management tools used at the preserve to protect this and other listed species.