They say that the 19th of March was the Equinox day, signaling the beginning of Spring in the northern hemisphere.
But over here in South Africa, in the southern hemisphere, it signals our Autumn, and like the flamingos, the dragonflies will also soon be gone before winter arrives.
We have a great love for dragonflies, as we see them as some of the most colorful insects on the planet. Not only their colors, but they are also equipped with exceptional flying skills. I suppose you know by now, that a dragonfly served for the design of our helicopters. But of course, as usual, mankind is a bit constrained as a helicopter does not have all of the flying skills of a dragonfly, so nature beats mankind in designing skills. So, if you also love dragonflies, then this post is for you.
First up, are five shots of a female Red-veined Dropwing (Trithemis arteriosa).
I zoomed all the shots above from this sight of the dragonfly below.
**And now we have some other dragonfly species. **
And here above we have the male Red-veined Dropwing, followed by two shots below of a Denim Dropwing (Trithemis donaldsoni).
Finally, two shots below of what I think is a female Red Groundling (Brachythemis lacustris).
So what does the world think of dragonflies?
In culture
A blue-glazed faience dragonfly amulet was found by Flinders Petrie at Lahun, from the Late Middle Kingdom of ancient Egypt.
For the Navajo, dragonflies symbolize pure water. Often stylized in a double-barred cross design, dragonflies are a common motif in Zuni pottery, as well as Hopi rock art and Pueblo necklaces.
As a seasonal symbol in Japan, dragonflies are associated with the season of autumn.[95] In Japan, they are symbols of rebirth, courage, strength, and happiness. They are also depicted frequently in Japanese art and literature, especially haiku poetry. Japanese children catch large dragonflies as a game, using a hair with a small pebble tied to each end, which they throw into the air. The dragonfly mistakes the pebbles for prey, gets tangled in the hair, and is dragged to the ground by the weight.
In both China and Japan, dragonflies have been used in traditional medicine. In Indonesia, adult dragonflies are caught on poles made sticky with birdlime, then fried in oil as a delicacy.
Images of dragonflies are common in Art Nouveau, especially in jewellery designs. They have also been used as a decorative motif on fabrics and home furnishings. Douglas, a British motorcycle manufacturer based in Bristol, named its innovatively designed postwar 350-cc flat-twin model the Dragonfly.
Among the classical names of Japan are Akitsukuni (秋津国), Akitsushima (秋津島), Toyo-akitsushima (豊秋津島). Akitsu is an old word for dragonfly, so one interpretation of Akitsushima is "Dragonfly Island". This is attributed to a legend in which Japan's mythical founder, Emperor Jimmu, was bitten by a mosquito, which was then eaten by a dragonfly.
In Europe, dragonflies have often been seen as sinister. Some English vernacular names, such as "horse-stinger", "devil's darning needle", and "ear cutter", link them with evil or injury. 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 ("eyes-snatcher"). They are often associated with snakes, as in the Welsh name gwas-y-neidr, "adder's servant". The Southern United States terms "snake doctor" and "snake feeder" refer to a folk belief that dragonflies catch insects for snakes or follow snakes around and stitch them back together if they are injured. Interestingly, the Hungarian name for dragonfly is szitakötő ("sieve-knitter").
I was so amazed to read this, and there is much more to read about the astonishing origin of dragonflies, as some say that they existed before the dinosaur period and they had wingspans of 2 feet.
I hope you have enjoyed the pictures and the story.
Photos by Zac Smith-All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Canon PowershotSX70HS Bridge camera.
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