There he is, right on the tip of my car antenna. The dragonfly was just having a good time buzzing around the yard.
As a young child I feared them because the older kids told me that the long tail was a stinger and they would sting me. Well, that was enough to make me scream and shout and run away in horror. Now I have come to like them because someone once told me that the dragonfly eats mosquitoes. I was in the Everglades south of Miami on an observation of a grazing occultation of the moon with the members of the local astronomy club. It was the middle of summer and hot and the hordes of mosquitoes were voracious in their appetites. Most of the club members had two sets of clothing on and dripping with mosquito repellent for protection from the mosquitoes. It was early evening and still daylight but the sun was setting when I heard a tremendous cheer from some of the club members. I asked the fellow that I was standing next to what was happening. He told me that they were cheering because a large number of dragonflies had descended upon us. He told me that they were happy because the dragonflies would eat the mosquitoes. My friend told me to go stand in the middle of the dragonflies and I would be relatively safe from the mosquitoes which I did and he was right. But then after about half an hour the dragonflies moved on and the mosquitoes came back. I left also but the good thing is that I had learned about the fact that dragonflies eat mosquitoes and so here in Florida they are a good thing to have in the yard. So the next time you see a dragonfly just remember that he is really your best friend in the war on mosquitoes.
Hail to the might dragonfly, protector of humanity from the ravenous mosquito. Villager, how am I doing on the use of colorful metaphors? Lew
As a young child I feared them because the older kids told me that the long tail was a stinger and they would sting me. Well, that was enough to make me scream and shout and run away in horror. Now I have come to like them because someone once told me that the dragonfly eats mosquitoes. I was in the Everglades south of Miami on an observation of a grazing occultation of the moon with the members of the local astronomy club. It was the middle of summer and hot and the hordes of mosquitoes were voracious in their appetites. Most of the club members had two sets of clothing on and dripping with mosquito repellent for protection from the mosquitoes. It was early evening and still daylight but the sun was setting when I heard a tremendous cheer from some of the club members. I asked the fellow that I was standing next to what was happening. He told me that they were cheering because a large number of dragonflies had descended upon us. He told me that they were happy because the dragonflies would eat the mosquitoes. My friend told me to go stand in the middle of the dragonflies and I would be relatively safe from the mosquitoes which I did and he was right. But then after about half an hour the dragonflies moved on and the mosquitoes came back. I left also but the good thing is that I had learned about the fact that dragonflies eat mosquitoes and so here in Florida they are a good thing to have in the yard. So the next time you see a dragonfly just remember that he is really your best friend in the war on mosquitoes.
Hail to the might dragonfly, protector of humanity from the ravenous mosquito. Villager, how am I doing on the use of colorful metaphors? Lew
1 comment:
I did capture a picture of a dragon fly on a sea oat with the sail boat in the background. Thanks for the useful information about the dragonflies. I didn't pay attention to the dragonflies eating mosquitoes. This is cool news.
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