Nature Walks – Dragonflies and Damselflies

We have been seeing an awful lot of dragonflies all around lately. This is a good thing though, not only because they are beautiful and a bit exotic, but also because they eat all the mosquitoes. For me being a mosquito magnet, this is GREAT NEWS. One single dragonfly can eat anywhere between 30-100’s of mosquitoes per day. The more mosquitos the dragonflies eat, the less the mosquitoes will eat me. I say eat away dragonflies, eat away. Though mosquitoes are a personal favorite of the dragonflies, they also like to eat the flies and other insects too. They are a natural sort of pest control. Seeing a lot of dragonflies flying around is a sign of a good, healthy ecosystem. Many gardeners welcome them into their yards because they kill off a lot of the pests and other insects that love to feast in the gardens.

Dragonflies and their cousins, the damselflies, have long been thought to represent change, transformation, adaptability, and self-realization. The change that is often referred to has its source in mental and emotional maturity and understanding the deeper meaning of life. In some cultures, dragonflies represent good luck or prosperity. So make a wish when you see a dragonfly and it’ll come true. … Plenty of dragonflies meant there were plenty of fish around. If a dragonfly hovered near the fisherman, he took it as a good luck sign. The Bible even says that seeing dragonflies is the bringer of light in the darkness of people’s hearts (2nd Corinthians 4:6). Who knew?

There are roughly 5,000 different varieties of dragonflies flying around the world today. Each one has a lifespan of roughly 6 months. We don’t have all 5,000 varieties here in my backyard, but we do have quite a few. They have been very difficult to get pictures of, but yesterday, I got lucky.

Dragonflies

And Damselflies

Enjoy your day. Make the most of it. Today is the gift and tomorrow is never promised.