Frayed
Don’t know that I’d ever seen such frayed wings on a dragonfly. Even so, this one could still fly quite well, as I found out while briefly waiting a couple of times for it to return to its perch at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center on September 8th. The dragon seems to be a neon skimmer, Libellula croceipennis.
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It’s been only eight days since I pointed out an instance of illegal racial discrimination in the United States. Now I’ve learned about another. As the New York Post reported on August 19: “An off-campus housing co-op for University of California, Berkeley students bans white people from entering common spaces to ‘avoid white violence’ — sparking criticism that the policy inflames racial tensions.” You don’t say. People who get banned from a gathering place because of their race might feel tense? Who’d’ve believed it?
The dorm in question is the “Person of Color Theme House.” Let me remind you that Person of Color and People of Color, both initialized as POC, are terms that exclude, because they mean ‘everybody in the world except white people.’ So much for the vaunted holy value of Inclusion. Here are excerpts from the dorm’s rules:
Many POC members moved here to avoid white violence and presence, so respect their decision of avoidance if you bring white guests… Always announce guests in the Guest Chat if they will be in common spaces with you and if they are white… White guests are not allowed in common spaces.
As you can see, the rules for guests at that dorm are both illegal and self-contradictory, but then why would you expect logic and decency from race haters? You can read more about this in the New York Post article.
© 2022 Steven Schwartzman
Portraits of Wildflowers 
Yes I haven’t too..thank you for sharing
Athira
September 13, 2022 at 4:39 AM
You’re welcome. There’s always something new to see in nature. No one can see it all, but the more we put ourselves out there in nature, the more we’re likely to see.
Steve Schwartzman
September 13, 2022 at 5:44 AM
Dragonflies are amazing fliers even with parts of their wings missing. By capture percentage they are considered to be the most successful predators in the world and can fly in all directions using each wing independently which aids in their formidability.
Steve Gingold
September 13, 2022 at 4:58 AM
I may have mentioned that years ago I was looking at a dragonfly when all of a sudden it took off, snatched a flying insect out of the air, returned to its perch, and promptly started eating the insect it had caught.
Steve Schwartzman
September 13, 2022 at 5:50 AM
There’s an interesting almost-symmetry to the wings’ damage.
I experienced the strength of those wings first-hand on Sunday, although no photo was possible. I heard a loud noise overhead, and when I looked up, I discovered a dragonfly had become entangled in the web of a golden silk orb weaver. It must have just happened, because the spider still was some distance away: perhaps waiting for the insect to stop struggling. The dragonfly had been caught by its abdomen: hence, the whirring wings. My general inclination to let nature take its course was overcome by a natural sympathy for the dragonfly. I found a stick, and started breaking strings of silk. Before long, the dragonfly had dropped to the ground, and as I pulled away the last of the silk, its wings beat against my hand; I had no idea there would be such power in them, or that they could remain undamaged in the midst of such circumstances.
In short order, I got the last of the silk removed and the dragonfly flew away, high into the sky. I apologized to the spider for taking its breakfast, and went my way.
shoreacres
September 13, 2022 at 7:24 AM
What a rescuer you were, and rewarded by getting to feel the power of the dragonfly’s wings. Entomologists may be familiar with that feeling, though I suspect few other people are. Maybe it used to be more common when most people lived in rural areas. As merciful as you were to the dragonfly, I doubt it will be so to the next insect it encounters—and devours.
Steve Schwartzman
September 13, 2022 at 7:33 AM
The next time you post about a dragonfly (presumably one you’ve photographed), you might want to include your rescue story.
Steve Schwartzman
September 13, 2022 at 7:34 AM
I recently observed a butterfly with damaged wings sitting on a water bottle. As it climbed down the bottle to the ground, I was convinced it could not fly. But when I came too close with my camera, it flew away.
Peter Klopp
September 13, 2022 at 8:51 AM
I wonder how many humans with comparable damage would be as resilient.
Steve Schwartzman
September 13, 2022 at 12:03 PM
Regarding the Person of Color Theme House, the KKK, George Wallace, David Duke, neo-Nazis, etc. would all approve.
Robert Hirsch
September 13, 2022 at 10:37 AM
You said it!
Steve Schwartzman
September 13, 2022 at 12:04 PM
[…] illegally by treating employees of different races differently. Just two days ago I pointed out a dorm that was allowing everyone except white people into its common spaces. Yesterday I learned about still another example of illegal racial discrimination, and it’s […]
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