Cast A Big Shadow

 

Cool Dragon

Green Darner, Anax junius
You have to watch your step around here on these cool mornings lest you step on a dragon.

Transformation

Dragonflies have always fascinated me. The final struggle to imago is so impressive. Here you have this crazy looking nymph that emerges from the water, then its outer cuticle pops open during ecdysis and out climbs this alien-looking, teneral adult. It swallows some air and pumps some hemolymph and after what seems to be a life time, it expands and hardens enough to fly away. Awesome.

 

First Ode of Spring!

An odd shape on the surface of the canal caught my eye today. I focused my binoculars and discovered it was a dragonfly. The poor thing was stuck on the surface of the water -- I hate it when that happens. Try as I might, I was unable to reach the struggling critter. Luckily for me (and the dragonfly) our head maintenance mechanic has long legs. He maneuvered out onto the ram barge of the bridge, and using the telescoping pole we have he managed to scoop up the ode and deliver to me as I waited on the main section of the bridge.

After a quick cat bath -- dragonflies like to keep their eyes clean -- and some wing vibrating to dry off and warm up, the little guy was ready to fly off to hunt.

I always get a thrill when I hold a dragonfly in my hand. Next to frogs they are my favorite wild things.

Common Baskettail