Meet My Friend!

  This morning, Mark and I were out wandering the new paths when we spied a slender, dragonfly-like critter flitting alongside of us.  Ahh, a damselfly!  It took some doing but, finally, I was able to capture the thing in a photograph.  What a beauty this creature was!  In fact, this was a male Blue-tailed Damselfly!  They are easy to distinguish from the females as the females have a more reddish tint to them.  The males are more black with a blue tipped tail.  The are both lovely, little critters!  Listed below are several "facts" about these fascinating beings.

1.  Damselflies are not dragonflies.  They both belong to the order Odonata making them cousins but they are not one and the same.
2. Damselflies have antenna but they are so tiny and short that most folks never notice them.
3. Damselflies are found just about everywhere in the world except maybe Antarctica.
4. Damselflies come in many different colors!  Red, blue, black, teal, brown, yellow and even purple!
5. Damselflies lay their eggs in water like dragonflies but some females completely submerge when laying eggs unlike the dragonflies which lay theirs on top of the water.
6. Damselflies (like dragonflies) eat a lot of other insects such as gnats, mosquitoes and moths. 
7. Damselflies (like dragonflies) catch their prey while in flight!
8. Unlike dragonflies, when at rest, damselflies hold their wings above their bodies!
9. Both damselfly and dragonfly nymphs are voracious when it comes to consuming prey.  Mosquito larvae are a favorite food of both!
10. Neither damselflies nor dragonflies can do much walking.  Their six legs are purely for catching and holding prey.  The legs have sharp bristles that help hold the prey.
11. Damselflies are much more slender than dragonflies making them appear to be more delicate.
12. Damselflies do not bite nor sting.

  So, now you know a bit more about this lovely and beneficial creature that, not only lives on the Bayou but probably near your place of residence!  Keep a watchful eye to see if you can spy one!  Amazing life is all around us but sometimes we are just too busy to notice.