On my back porch I have a hummingbird feeder and the little hummers spend a lot of time chasing each other around. I love to watch them zoom by. But they remind me of another flying creature that you might see: dragonflies and damselflies. So, this afternoon I walked down to the pond and took my camera. Sure enough there are lots of dragonflies and other aquatic insects. I even had some success making pictures of a few of them when they decide to land on a branch sticking out of the water or a blade of grass.
These insects spend most of their lives in or near water. The female lays eggs on aquatic grasses and then they end up in the water. When they hatch, the nymphs live in the water and feed on other insect larvae. Some live in the water for years before they emerge as an adult dragonfly or damselfly.
The flying adults have interesting names: Damselflies, Skimmers, Darners, Clubtails, Bluets. If you are near water this week look for some of these interesting insects. Some of them are quite colorful and beautiful. Notice how the wings are transparent- sometimes with colorful markings. See how large the compound eyes are. Notice how they hold their wings when they are still. And see how fast they fly. If you are really sharp you might see one catch a mosquito or a fly for lunch. See how many different ones you can spot. Enjoy the World of Wonder in your backyard!