This Red-veined Darter caught my attention, returning again and again to a strip of plastic pull-offs. I too am curious as to their purpose but guessing fishing as it lay on an allocated spot. And since I do not have an encyclopaedic knowledge of the Odonata genus, further investigation of UK dragonflies confirmed what this creature is. The reason for the red-veined epithet most noticeable in the ruddy male – this, the female, which may explain the curiosity, like Pandora perhaps!
When my camera closes in for a macro look, the Darter dragonfly becomes even more of a curio, seemingly sacrificing a piece of thorax to mount equipment for its bi-plane flight. And the red veins become more obvious as too some dust on those leaded glassy wings.
"...the body straight as a thermometer, the old glass kind that could kill us with mercury if our teeth did not respect its brittle body. Slim as an eel but a solitary glider, a pilot without bombs or weapons, and wings clear and small as a wish to see over our heads, to see the whole picture..." Nancy Willard ~ The Vanity of the Dragonfly
One for Wildlife Wednesday because I maintain a curiosity about the nature world
PoetryPix 
A most stunning picture. What a closeup. I love the hairs on its frame. Amazingly beautiful. Thanks for sharing Laura. Xoxo
You could even enter this at Colleen’s Tanka Tuesday and declare your kigo as the red dragonfly. (You have a week to do it)
Here in Japan this particular red dragonfly is the harbinger of autumn. There are songs about it.
(I was thinking of the red dragonfly too) blessings
All the best.
thank you for all your encouraging feedback Selma and the information on this dragonfly – not only a harbinger of autumn but symbolic of a soul’s transformation.
I don’t usually write Tankas – thinking I can never do them the justice that the Japanese can but will consider it this time – x
Oh you are so beautifully dangerous with a camera Laura. You come to the essence of curiosity. Who’d of guessed when god said, “go forth, multiply”, this would be such implicit result. You let us see.
Sorry if I’ve missed responding to some posts recently. I’m being more thick than my usual slow self.
as photographers we are encouraged to find our niche but I can never quite settle on any one thing and the natural world has lured me since a child. Indeed that commandment has always held me spellbound so I maintain the same child-like curiosity – and now the camera lets me see what my eyesight misses.
thank you for stopping by to see – and please, no apology!
How wonderful to see, I share your passion – many thanks for this.
many thanks Paul for sharing this passion
Beautiful! Dragonflies never let me so close to photograph them. (K)
this one stayed still much of the time!