Photography And Half-Thoughts By Mitchell Hegman

...because some of it is pretty and some of it is not.

Sunday, September 4, 2022

A Damselfly in Love

While down at the lakeshore, a damselfly fell in love with Randy.   Well, the insect fell in love with his hand at least.  Seemingly out of nowhere, the damselfly appeared on his knuckle and remained there for a long time—long enough for both of them to pose for a bracket of pictures.  I have posted one of those at the end of this blog. 

Damselflies are often mistaken for dragonflies.  The mistake is an easy one to make.  As a general rule, however, damselflies are smaller and less aggressive in their flights.  The key distinction between the two insects is found in how they pose when they land to rest.  Dragonflies orient their wings out at right angles to their body.  Damselflies fold in their wings.

Both insects are highly successful predators.  Damselflies prey on all manner freshwater aquatic insects, including mosquito larvae.  This makes them friends to us. 

And sometimes they fall in love.



Randy and the Damselfly

Mitchell Hegman

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