Pond Visitor

 While relaxing by my fish pond, a brilliant orange dragonfly decided to visit and rest on a plant stake by the water's edge. It is a wondrous species with a cumbersome scientific name, Libellula saturata, but is also commonly known as flame skimmer. He allowed me to take several photographs, moving his large compound eyes every time I changed camera angles. If I came too close, he dashed away on his diaphanous,helicopter wings, looking like a orange flame, only to return and land when it seemed safe. This bit of ephemeral beauty has existed for more than 200 million years, long before the age of dinosaurs, and I think it is one of Mother Nature's miracles of summer. Hopefully you may glimpse this winged marvel or one of its many relatives as well.