This Dragonfly (Odonata) has donned her Spring finery, a bright blue, lacy little bra! Caught her getting a bit of a suntan on the rocks next to my pond last spring just before all the males arrived!
Sometimes the period, just before spring arrives, is always filled with a few hollow promises - dragonflies appear at the pond, the Peach Tree starts preparing her blossoms and then, suddenly, a cold front dispels the promise of Spring.
A close-up of the head and thorax
Menacing and marvelous, the dragonfly has for centuries captivated human imaginations with its daredevil flying maneuvers, vibrant colors and bullish disposition.
Pre-dating the dinosaur, this fascinating insect has long been the subject of chilling myths and legends. In fact, the dragonfly's terrifying syringe-like appearance earned it a laundry list of dastardly names in world-wide folklore including "Devil's Darner," "Water Witch" and "Snake Doctor."
In European and early-American myths, children were told that if they misbehaved, a dragonfly would sew shut their eyes and ears as they slept. Another myth warned that dragonflies were in cahoots with snakes and were able to wake them from the dead or warn them of impending danger. And in Swedish folklore, dragonflies were called "Blindsticka" or "Blind Stingers," and rumored to have had a penchant for picking out human eyes. The Swedes also believed that dragonflies were used by the Devil to weigh people's souls, and that, if a dragonfly swarmed around someone's head weighing his or her soul, that person could expect great injury!
Your delicate wings rapidly beat the air
The sleekness of your weightless body hovers
Curiously observing as though you care
Steadily searching for lifelong endeavors
Do you bring a message of a tranquil destiny?
Does your evolving maturity convey wisdom?
If I follow, will I find harmony or perplexity?
As you disappear… I am serenely lonesome
- Theresa Ann Moore
If you look carefully, you can see a male that has just arrived!
Camera : FujiFinepix 2800Zoom - Pics taken in my garden in Tarlton, Gauteng, South Africa.
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All myths aside, I think it is a most beautiful and fascinating creature! Thanks for posting the photos and dragon-fly info!!
ReplyDeleteHi Maree! It's so odd to hear of the heralding of spring when autumn is upon us in the Northern Hemisphere. I so love the worldwide glimpse my blogging friends provide :)
ReplyDeleteGreat info on the dragonflies. I had no idea they were thought of in such evil ways. When we lived in western NY (just below Canada) the native American tribes there held the dragonfly as a welcoming symbol.
Things have been busy at work for a while but today I'm on strike and am trying to catch up with my buddies :) Have a great day :)
Aaah, I'm so glad you like it Studio! I also think they're utterly fascinating!
ReplyDeleteHi PJ! Yeah, you're right! That's one of the wonders of the internet, it makes the world such a small place!
ReplyDeleteI know about the myths and legends only because they're so alive and well amongst the African people here, the same with frogs and lizards, it always amazes me!
Glad you're enjoying work! but a break is always welcome!
Thanks for stopping by, appreciate that!