I like to think I’m getting exercise when I walk around the pond. But lately, in reality, I don’t think my heartbeat increases one bit. I stop too often to take pictures.

These days, the air is full of dragonflies – all varieties. So, every ten paces I’m trying to freeze-frame another beautiful dragonfly. In this blog, I have identified myself as an amateur naturalist. For me this is a hobby. So, I say ‘dragonfly’ probably with great license. My descriptive criteria for this category of insect is: translucent wings, long thin body, round bug head, cool colors. In this post I share pictures of insects that fall into this category. It had to have been a creator with artistic flair that designed these creatures.

Please click on the photos to fully appreciate their subject. Incidentally, the photo at the top of the post shows a black and white dragonfly that is striking as it flies over the water. I tried for several minutes to capture it in that setting, but it was too fast for my camera. The field of view on the telephoto lens is so small, when set to maximize the detail of the insect, that the dragonfly zips through it before the frame can catch it.

Whether twins connected at birth or a love match, the two below fly and alight attached to each other!
(P.S. Can you find the bumblebee? I didn’t have the heart to crop it out. It’s not unusual for me to find things other than my subject in a photo.)

The insect below was so delicate that it seemed as if it would disintegrate if I blew on it. It was like stardust.

With the photo below, I’m showing off my photography skill. I stood for at least 15 minutes trying to catch a dragonfly in flight. Here it is, over the sparkling water! Unlike the black and white dragonfly above, this one would hover for the briefest instant now and again. It was during a hover that I was able to quickly get it into focus, and shoot.