Three beautiful sights appeared before my eyes. Each came in twos: a rain followed by a rainbow arched over a recently harvested cornfield; two six-week old kittens, but more about them another day; and both dragonflies and damselflies, two resting in the gardenia bushes which, by the way, have bloomed again, and another on the shoe scraper at the edge of the porch.
Though not an entomologist, after reading numerous sites on dragonflies and damselflies, I decided the iridescent brilliantly blue insect on the gardenia must be a damselfly.
Damselflies are smaller and slimmer than the dragonfly and often brighter in color. This one was “canyon blue,” the same blue of a Jeep I once owned.
Another on the gardenia bush had a fashionably electric green head and thorax with an alternating black and white ringed abdomen about an inch long.
Damselflies hold their wings, all four of them, vertical when resting. They hover gracefully and elegantly over freshwater ponds, fields and woods hunting for insects, butterflies, moths, gnats, flies and “midges.” They are also powerful fliers and can fly up to 45 mph. They fly in six directions including hovering or flying backwards like a hummingbird. The damselfly’s eyes are spaced wide apart on its head.
The insect on the shoe scraper was a dragonfly sporting a sedate suit of brown, black and white.
The Dragonfly is an agile flyer but heavier bodied. The easiest distinction between the two is the way the dragonfly holds its wings horizontal, flat, away from the body while resting. It is less colorful than the damselfly. Both insects have excellent eyesight, though contrary to the damselfly, the dragonfly’s eyes are close-set on its head.
While the dragonfly and the damselfly are predators they are also prey of nighthawks, American kestrels, merlin, swifts and swallows.
It is thought that prehistoric dragonflies had a 3-foot wingspan, and there are many myths about both dragonflies and damselflies. The name dragonfly came from the idea they might once have been dragons. Dragonflies are also called the “devil’s darning needle.”
There are some tamer ideas about dragonflies and damselflies that suggest they point us to deeper meanings in life. The adult dragonfly and damselfly fly for only a fraction of their lifespan, giving rise to the idea that one should live each moment fully.
Because of their metamorphosis they are a symbol of change, strength and happiness. Because they hover over water they encourage one to seek beyond the surface of things.
In Asia dragonflies are used in medicines. Dragonflies are also popular designs for jewelry and appliques.
In 1833 Alfred Lord Tennyson wrote his poem “The Dragon-fly” —
“Today I saw the dragon-fly
Come from the wells where he did lie.
An inner impulse rent the veil
Of his old husk: from head to tail
Came out clear plates of sapphire mail.
He dried his wings: like gauze they grew;
Thro’ crofts and pastures wet with dew
A living flash of light he flew.”
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Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 36 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
