The original title of this post was going to be: ‘I’m going through changes’. But every time I read it, I got the bloody song stuck in my head …
Dammit! - I’m so, so sorry …
The good, the bad and the fantastical
Having been around for over 300 million years, dragonflies are an obviously resilient group of insects that are steeped in lore. Virtually every civilisation seems to have had, or has, legends and traditions tied to them.
Swedish folklore holds that the devil uses dragonflies to weigh people's souls. The Norwegian name for dragonflies is Øyenstikker ("eye-poker"), and in Portugal they are sometimes called tira-olhos ("eye-snatcher"). They are often associated with snakes, as in the Welsh name gwas-y-neidr, "adder's servant".
The servant part relates to the belief that dragonflies would stitch snakes, that had been sliced apart, back together - the term snake-doctor used in some southern States of N. America shares the same legend.
The Irish tell of little-people who ride dragonflies, (an activity that surely would be fraught with danger).
The Celts connect the Dragonfly with the ability to see truth; with the sight of the ancient, powerful Dragons who were guardians of the Sacred Stones and magical wells. - CelticRanch.com
What’s interesting to me about the above quote is that my niece commented on a dragonfly pic I posted the other day on Instagram:
“I used to think dragonflies were the long evolved offspring of real dragons”.
There ya go Lisa, it must be the Celt in you!? … (and there’s a sentence I pray to God never to repeat).
For the Japanese, they symbolise summer and autumn and are admired and respected all over, so much so that the Samurai used them as a symbol of power, agility and perhaps most importantly of all, Victory!
While in China, many people associate the dragonfly with prosperity, harmony and good luck.
Amongst Native Americans, it’s a sign of happiness, speed and purity. Purity because the dragonfly eats from the wind itself ... (For some Navajo they also symbolise pure water).
However, in other places, dragonflies are sometimes thought of as sinister. With pejorative names, such as "horse-stinger", "devil's darning needle" and "ear cutter", conflating them with evil or injury - all a bit bloody dark, eh?
The eyes have it!
Humans have what’s known as tri-chromatic vision, which means we see colours as a combination of red, blue and green. This is thanks to three different types of light-sensitive proteins in our eyes, called opsins.
Enter the dragonfly. A study of 12 dragonfly species has found that each one has no fewer than 11, and some a whopping 30, different visual opsins. - newscientist.com
But it’s more than that. Dragonflies “see” in slow-motion. What you and I perceive as real time, the dragonfly sees as, well - “bullet-time!” (Think - The Matrix).
There are arguments about whether the dragonfly has the “best” vision of any animal - especially once the Mantis shrimp gets thrown into the mix, but with its undeniably dexterous ability in the air, the point becomes a little moot.
Other things that are up for argument and discussion are the colours that dragonflies possess.
Why make predators colourful and bright?
No one really knows why dragonflies are so beautiful. What their colours are for, or the role they play - perhaps it’s an evolutionary hangover? Maybe it’s a form of camouflage that we’re yet to fully understand? It’s almost certainly related to their ability to see colours in spectrums that we cannot.
Dragonflies are predatory from birth and will happily consume their own kind, and unlike in their adult stage, the nymphs are generally drab brown or black.
Odonata variations
One of the benefits of living in the tropics is having access to the astonishing variety of dragonflies and their smaller cousins, the damselflies.
Dragonflies are insects belonging to the infraorder Anisoptera below the order Odonata.
There are around 320 species of dragonfly in Australia, most with an adult life-span of between 7 and 56 days.
Short, but frenetic lives. And for me personally, I enjoy nothing more than sitting near a suitable body of water and just watching them do their do … it’s wildly entertaining observing them as they energetically swoop and dart. Catching prey on the wing and seeing off interlopers.
At first glance, I thought the above insect was a Lemon-tipped hunter, and despite being lucky enough to have the seminal book, The complete guide to Dragonflies of Australia, (thanks Jo!) - it took me a while to finally decide that it’s a Green skimmer … at least it better be!
Transformation
Of all the things attributed to dragonflies, the notion of re-birth or metamorphosis stands out. The desire for renewal and transcendence seem woven into the fabric of human consciousness throughout time.
So what finer example than that of a creature who begins life in the dark and muddy depths of sluggish waterways, only to emerge as a resplendent aerial master of its domain.
For me, the ability to discard old behaviours or let go of past mistakes is, indeed, healing and transformative.
“You are under no obligation to be the same person you were five minutes ago”
-Allen Watts
And with those words of wisdom, it’s time for me to say adieu - but not before giving a warm welcome and many thanks to my latest subscribers: Julz and Anne, I appreciate you more than you can know.
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Hoping ya’s are well and wishing you all ice-cold drinks and bare feet on beaches :)
Take Care - Bear X
Hi! Well who knew these little creatures had such history. Never really looked at one that closely, and seeing your photos and all the beautiful colours, Im kinda shocked. Thanks for the insight and sharing your knowledge and photos 🙂