The Amazing Dragonfly
The dragonfly is such a common motif in artwork that I was motivated to research this amazing insect.
In regions around the world where dragonflies inhabit the area, there is usually a profound reverence for these insects. In Japan, they are called tonbo (トンボ) and usually appear in autumn. Dragonflies have two sets of wings that are independent of each other and allow for great maneuverability and speed. They fly with and against the wind and some species have flown over oceans. Their wings can reflect colors from their environment. They are good predators that control insect populations such as mosquitoes.
Dragonflies can fly from 19 to 38 miles per hour depending on the species (there are over 5,000) and live a month to six months. They have compound eyes that have up to 50,000 lenses, or ommatidia, and can see 360 degrees at once. All of these attributes resonated with many samurai, who decorated their clothing, armor, and weapons with likenesses of the dragonfly to remind them of strength, perseverance, and victory.
Fossil remains have established that ancestors of the dragonfly have been around for over 300 million years.
