I have not seen a lot of bugs this year, but there is one
that is strangely in abundance: the ebony jewelwing, a type of large damselfly.
I have so many this year that I was able to take some time and really look at them
and even photograph them. While I was observing one, she came out towards me to
inspect a bit of spiderweb hanging in the air to see if it contained a bug but
I think it was just a bit of leaf. #amomentinnature
They are fairly skittish, often flying up from shady corners
of the yard before I even have a chance to realize they are there. They usually
just fly a short distance and then come back to near where they were. They hunt
for mosquitoes and gnats and small insects.
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| Male jewelwing |
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| Female jewelwing |
This
website is a great resource to learn more about them. Both males and
females have an iridescent green
body but the wings are slightly different. The wings on the female are a dark
bronze and there is a small white spot at the top (on the forewing). The males
overall seem a bit brighter, perhaps slightly more blue-green than green.
Similar to dragonflies,
they lay their eggs in water, usually slow moving streams and I have one of
those. If you spot one of these near you, be sure to take a moment to
appreciate them.
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