Resting Damselfly

Even as a kid I enjoyed watching Damselflies flitting around. Few if any creature is more agile. Their coordination is simple amazing; controlling four wings as they fly at relatively high speed, stopping instantly and hovering in mid-air for extended periods of time and then darting off in seemingly any direction going from zero to top speed in the blink of an eye.

This little Damselfly surprised me as I was photographing wildflowers and butterflies. I was not expecting to see a Damselfly as I was quite some distance from water when it appeared and perched upon this dead weed.

The flight of the damselfly reminds me of that of a helicopter. I have only once had the opportunity to ride in a helicopter. That was over two decades ago but the memory remains fresh. This was the first time I had ever flown and the bird was a two-seat crop-duster with a little clear bubble cockpit. I felt as if I could see all of creation from our vantage point above the West Virginia farm land. At one point the pilot told me we were traveling at 50MPH and a short time later he stated that we were sitting still, I could tell no difference.

Since then I have flown in fixed wing aircraft many times but no flight has been more memorable than that first time in the air. ............Flying like a Damselfly.