Daily Note
Every day, a photograph, a poem. Many years ago, exploring and traveling, we paused at a lovely site— a park or rest area with a lovely meadow and view of the area. I don’t remember where, but I do remember looking down at the flora in the meadow and lawn when I came across a dragonfly— just like this one, laying on the ground. I stared at it a while, but it did not move. I felt a bit sad because I thought it had died. I reached down and picked it up gently, holding in the palm of my hand and about to call on everyone else, when it suddenly just zoomed away. I wonder if it had just finished drying its wings, as they do in the beginning of this stage of their lives. I still remember my surprise and delight that it would still have its life.
But, on another day, the grandkids did find this dragonfly, which they gingerly held and brought in to carefully save. It’s still in an old gift box on top of cotton to protect it, and every once in a while, we take it out to look at its magnificence.
Dragonflies are one of the best hunters of the animal world, capturing almost 90% of its prey, which are, of course, the things we don’t like: mosquitoes and gnats and wasps, etc. I am always thankful for the dragonfly.
Some dragonflies have been clocked at fifty kilometers and hour! They can see almost 360°— just not behind them. Their heads are moveable. They have five eyes— two huge compound ones that make up most of its head and three smaller ones. And those wings are a wonder too: see the darker, tinted area on the leading edge of each wing? That’s to prevent shuddering or rippling of the wings in its flight — so it can maintain the logistics of its chosen flight pattern, which can be gliding, hovering, zooming, or going backwards! Here’s a video of their amazing features:
About Dragonflies
- Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
- University of Washington: Washington State’s Insect: Green Darner Dragonfly
- National Park Service [about their also amazing larvae]
- Smithsonian Magazine
Poetry
Dragonfly
Be thankful
for this
faster flier
with near all-around sight:
Hover, glide, zoom
to almost always
catch its prey—
those pesky
biting mosquitoesSheri Edwards
06.15.23 167.365.23
Poetry/Photography [See-Frame-Focus]
#clmooc #smallpoems #dragonfly
Dragonfly found on the lawn like this by grandchildren.
Update:
A wonderful thing happened today— this silly little poem inspired another one, from my friend, Terry. Thank you, Terry for adding the evening of nature to the scene.
I wonder, if I draw a line... 