Chasing Dragonflies: A Natural, Cultural, and Personal History

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While “Chasing Fireflies” may be a tearjerker at times, it is ultimately a story of hope and healing. Even in the darkest moments, Martin manages to infuse the narrative with a sense of optimism that is both inspiring and uplifting. As with many natural phenomena, once you begin looking, you’ll spot them everywhere. You’ll start running after them. And out of the corner of one of your 28,000 lenses, you’ll catch sight of the businessman on the sidewalk, stopping short to watch you, a little nervously, wondering whether you could be a mad scientist, and what in the world you’veseen. I'm glad you wrote this article but I do hope you'll consider what I'm saying. Thanks for listening.

Chasing Dragonflies: A Natural, Cultural, and Personal History is an engaging, beautifully illustrated introduction to these remarkable insects. Drawing on her experiences as a natural history instructor, dragonfly monitor, cancer survivor, grandmother, and steward, Crosby tells the stories of dragonflies: their roles in poetry and art, their fascinating sex life – unique within the animal kingdom – and their evolution from dark-water dwellers to denizens of the air. We follow Crosby and other citizen-scientists into the prairies, wetlands, and woodlands of the Midwest, where they observe the environment and chronicle dragonfly populations and migration to decipher critical clues about our changing waterways and climate. Like the birds with whom they share airspace, dragonflies’ vision is as incredible as their speed. Imagine having eyes that take up most of your head; that can see in all directions, above and below, 360 degrees around; that consist of 28,000 distinct lenses, each one sending its own worldview to the brain, 80 percent of which is busy making sense of all this visual information. You would be…a different sort of creature. If only Franz Kafka had turned the protagonist of his story The Metamorphosis into a dragonfly, the character might have been quite pleased with his new state of being. This delightful book, built with personal, passionate prose, is an inspiration. Crosby's dragonfly wanderings and observations make me want to get up and get out there. A delightful and informative read."—Kurt Mead, author of Dragonflies of the North Woods " Chasing Dragonflies is so beautifully written that it satisfied my ecologist mind and naturalist heart . . . Crosby conveys a sense of wonder and urgency in both monitoring and protecting the habitat of the odes. There is both a sense of peace and of purpose throughout the book that is inspiring and encouraging."—Marianne Denton, Argia But Crosby's journey is almost too personal. It sometimes appears cathartic - particularly as Crosby reflects on her cancer, aging, and family. She nicely ties these thoughts to the peaceful pursuit of dragonflies (and damselflies). And as a memoir, I really enjoyed this book and Crosby's quite poetic language. Chasing Fireflies” is a heartwarming and poignant novel that explores themes of redemption, self-discovery, and the power of love. Charles Martin’s masterful storytelling draws readers in and takes them on an emotional journey that is both moving and inspiring. Whether you’re a fan of character-driven narratives or enjoy exploring complex emotions, this book is a must-read.

How do hobbies breed?

We also used a dragonfly on Abi’s memorial stone – again in blue with silver glitter on the wings. This was another unique design and something the stonemason had never done before, but we felt it came out very well.

If you have an outdoor cat, you’ve probably noticed them stalking and chasing dragonflies. While it may seem harmless, dragonflies can be harmful to cats if they’re eaten. Here are a few tips to keep your cat from chasing dragonflies: Fossil records show that dragonflies were around for 100 million years before the dinosaurs. These prehistoric predators had wingspans of over three feet and are the largest insects known. Imagine if they were that big now—a dainty dragonfly landing on your finger would not seem quite socharming! Dragonfly Meaning andSymbolism There is some solid science and fact woven into this "Personal History" but it filters out a bit behind the personal accounts and poetic language. We never quite leave the feeling that this is personal reflection, even though it comes from someone with some science acumen. Some common names for dragonflies are “Mosquito Hawk,” “Devil’s Darning Needle,” and “Snake Doctor.” Mosquito Hawk stems from the dragonfly’s favorite food, Devil’s Needle stems from very old traditions indicating that dragonflies were evil, and Snake Doctor stems from the fact that dragonflies can often be seen in the same habitat as snakes and sometimes even interact withthem.

Threats and conservation

Most people know dragonflies as those pesky insects always flying around in the summertime, but there’s a lot more to these creatures than meets the eye. For one, they’re incredibly fast – some species can fly up to 60 miles per hour! They’re also quite skilled hunters, using their keen eyesight and agility to catch their prey in mid-air. So, with all of this in mind, it’s no wonder that people are curious about whether or not cats can eat dragonflies. Where do they live?