It has been a long, hot summer and I welcome the cooler temperatures and lower humidity of the autumn. For me, this is part of a cycle of nature that is repeated each year. For dragonflies, though, the autumn signals that their lives are drawing near to the end. Dragonflies begin their lives as water-dwelling nymphs and when they emerge and are transformed into the incredible aerial acrobats that we see, their days are numbered in weeks and months.
Earlier this week I spotted this Halloween Pennant dragonfly (Celithemis eponina) that appeared to have survived several encounters with predators. Its wings were shredded, but somehow the dragonfly was still able to fly. It’s probably my imagination, but the Halloween Pennant seemed to be smiling, enjoying every minute of its remaining days, happy to be alive. As I get older, I feel like that sometimes.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
Me too.
Wonderful photo and composition Mike. That twig that the Halloween Pennant is perched on looks like a mini sculpture…Awesome~
Wonderful photo! And, it’s true, we are grateful for having reached this age.
Amen. As the old saying goes, getting old may not be fun, but it beats the alternative. 🙂
Totally agree, Mike.
Beautiful!! Strangely, we have been seeing a few dragon flies flitting around in our neighborhood of late. One yesterday was right in front of me, its wings making a cool sound, as I went down the drive on a doggy walk. It’s always a pleasure to spot one.