dragonfly
Hovering iridescent predator
A dragonfly is a large flying insect with a long slender body, two pairs of transparent wings, and enormous multifaceted eyes.
Dragonflies are often seen near ponds and streams, where they hunt mosquitoes and other small insects in flight with remarkable speed and agility.
They hover, dart, and change direction instantly—capabilities that have inspired drone and helicopter designs.
Despite their fierce appearance and name, dragonflies are harmless to humans.
Limbs for flight
- abdomenTorso's lower cavity
- thoraxCentral body cavity
- exoskeletonExternal skeletal structure
- chitinArthropod shell polymer
antennae · mandible · segmented · ovipositor · pterostigma · veins · membrane · setae
Pursuer of prey
- carnivoreCreature eating only animals
- ambushSurprise strike from concealment
- preyAnimal being hunted
- voraciousExtremely eager to consume
feeding · midges · gnats · mayflies · damselflies · capture · pursuit · eyesight
Moving suddenly, swiftly
- hoveringSuspended without support
- swiftMoving with speed
- agileLimber and quick-moving
- nimbleQuick and light-moving
aerial · acrobatic · zigzag · gliding · skimming · pursuit · hawking · patrolling
Small still body
- marshGrassy waterlogged lowland
- wetlandWaterlogged land ecosystem
- streamSteady continuous flow
- riverLarge flowing watercourse
lake · swamp · bog · reed · cattail · shoreline · riparian · aquatic
Tremulous, wavering light
- sheenSoft surface luster
- opalescentShowing milky iridescence
- prismaticLight-dispersing, multicolored
- metallicResembling ore-based elements
glinting · lustrous · jeweled · emerald · sapphire · ruby · azure · turquoise
Fabric-hole fixer
- skimmerSlotted kitchen utensil
- hawkerRoving vocal merchant
- dasherQuick mover or agitator
- darterSwift-moving small fish
cruiser · glider · pennant · emerald · saddlebag · pintail · percher · sylph
Coal-depositing geological period
- PermianLate Paleozoic geological period
- fossilPreserved ancient organism
- prehistoricBefore documented civilization
- PaleozoicEarly complex-life epoch
Mesozoic · amber · evolution · primitive · ancestral · giant · wingspan · paleontology
Thorough change in form
- rebirthSpiritual or physical regeneration
- adaptabilityAbility to adjust readily
- changeTo make different
- lightnessMinimal weight or gravity
illusion · spirituality · prosperity · luck · samurai · Japanese · fairy · ethereal
wings
Limbs for flight
- abdomenTorso's lower cavity
- thoraxCentral body cavity
- exoskeletonExternal skeletal structure
chitin · antennae · mandible · segmented · ovipositor · pterostigma · veins · membrane · setae · spiracles
hunter
Pursuer of prey
voracious · feeding · midges · gnats · mayflies · damselflies · capture · pursuit · eyesight · vision
darting
Moving suddenly, swiftly
nimble · aerial · acrobatic · zigzag · gliding · skimming · pursuit · hawking · patrolling · territorial
pond
Small still body
river · lake · swamp · bog · reed · cattail · shoreline · riparian · aquatic · freshwater
shimmer
Tremulous, wavering light
- sheenSoft surface luster
- opalescentShowing milky iridescence
- prismaticLight-dispersing, multicolored
metallic · glinting · lustrous · jeweled · emerald · sapphire · ruby · azure · turquoise · cobalt
darner
Fabric-hole fixer
darter · cruiser · glider · pennant · emerald · saddlebag · pintail · percher · sylph · corporal
Carboniferous
Coal-depositing geological period
- PermianLate Paleozoic geological period
- fossilPreserved ancient organism
- prehistoricBefore documented civilization
Paleozoic · Mesozoic · amber · evolution · primitive · ancestral · giant · wingspan · paleontology · extinct
transformation
Thorough change in form
- rebirthSpiritual or physical regeneration
- adaptabilityAbility to adjust readily
- changeTo make different
lightness · illusion · spirituality · prosperity · luck · samurai · Japanese · fairy · ethereal · fleeting
- insectsant, ants, bee, bees, butterfly
- forest lifesquirrel, fox, rabbit, owl, woodpecker
- arthropodsarthropod, arthropods, Arthropoda, insects, insect
- invertebratesinvertebrate, arthropod, arthropods, mollusk, crustacean
- bugsbeetle, cricket, bug, firefly, cockroach
- colorful creaturesmacaw, peacock, parrot, toucan, scarlet ibis
dragonflywalking stick
Handheld support for ambulation
slug · snail · caterpillar · earthworm · grub
- dragonfly wingsPaired transparent flight surfaces
- dragonfly nymphLarval stage, aquatic predator