Insectivorous

They’ve been studied by military flight engineers who long to uncover their secrets of aviation. This time of year, however, their talent for insect control is what Mainers value them for...

Dragonflys, that is. As soon as they begin to skillfully and silently weave through the air in early June, relief from mosquitos and black flies is surely not far behind.

Almost without exception our insectivorous saviors ignore us. Almost, that is. While I was taking my morning walk today, one of our needle-shaped, narrow-winged allies chanced to land upon my leg.

“Most unusual.” I thought. I briefly considered brushing it away, but then decided that if this worthy insect wanted a rest from its relentless pursuit of pests, that it should have. “It will no doubt fly off in short order.” I said to myself.

Fly it did, but a short flight indeed- up to my sleeve. I stretched out my arm, partly to get a good look at it, and partly to get it as far away from me as possible. Though I knew it was harmless it was still... well, a large insect sitting on my sleeve.

I kept waiting for it, in fact willing it, to fly away, but its only movement was to twist around a bit on its tiny legs, rotating until it faced me. And then it stared at me... “If dragonflys could talk, and one landed on my sleeve to have a conversation with me, this is exactly the position it would take.” I mused. Caught up in the eye of this curiously positioned dragonfly, I half expected it to deliver some sort of mystic message...

Perhaps it expected to receive a message from me... “Thank you for a bug-free walk” would have been in order. But I didn’t think of that till long after he had taken leave of my sleeve...