Dragonfly No 1
by Belinda Greb
Title
Dragonfly No 1
Artist
Belinda Greb
Medium
Photograph - Photographs, Photography, Photograph
Description
This cropped shot of a dragonfly flying over a pond was taken at high speed to catch it in flight. The pond behind it, reflecting foliage, but blurred shallow depth of field looks abstract.
Dragonflies can fly at speeds from 22-34 mph. Their cruising speed is 10mph. Adults generally fly June to October. They spend most of their life in nymph form underneath the surface of the water. In this form, they use extendable jaws to feed on mosquito larvae and other insects, and even some vertebrates, such as small tadpoles or fish. This stage can last up to five years. Then they climb up to a reed, where they metamorphose into an adult. This stage is estimated to last five or six months.
The Blue-eyed Darner dragonfly has a length of 2.5-2.75 inches and eats other smaller insects on the fly. They are generally found near lakes, marshes and ponds at lower elevation and are quite common. They can swim, by jet propulsion. They squirt the water out of their abdomen.
©Belinda Greb
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Nature, animals, beauty have been a source of nourishment throughout my life. Photography allows me to capture, interpret, and share that world of wonder I see about me, and sometimes use what I capture as an inspiration to create something new, by incorporating other exposures, textures or brushwork.
I currently reside in Oregon, an environment rich in nature's graces. I have lived in California and New York, too, and everywhere there is a world of beauty around us, if we care to take the time and look for it.
Uploaded
September 17th, 2012
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