It's an extraordinary feeling each time I connect with a form of life. I'm learning how to recognize when an insect is curious enough about me to land on me or crawl over to me. This dragonfly was interested in me as I clicked photos of her. She (thanks to my fellow photographer friend, Ron, who pointed out the gender), would let me get inches from her face. When that happens, I can usually begin some sort of communication. I put my finger up to her and she stepped off the weed she was perched on, and slowly stepped over to my finger. After she flew away, she circled back and landed on me again. That's really an amazing feeling to hold my finger up like I would for a bird and have a dragonfly land on me.
All photos here by Betsy Seeton
I left him to photograph the bees and other creatures. When I came back to look for him, he was in the same general area. I usually talk to the insects so they have one more familiar way to recognize me. I wanted to test whether the dragonfly remembered me. He landed on me again, which I take as proof that he did! I noticed he was more preoccupied though, and soon discovered he was munching on a damselfly!
A damselfly is partially hanging out of his mouth. Photo by Betsy Seeton
Dragonfly by Betsy Seeton - Sept 11, 2011
I went on a second photo shoot where I know a lot of red dragonflies hang out. These are White-faced Meadowhawk males.
White-faced Meadowhawk male - September 11, 2011
by Betsy Seeton
Mating dragonflies
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