The Sprites of Summer

Every summer as we traverse the world of insects we are reminded of another world, that of myth and fairy tale. Forest and meadow open like a story, with characters like damsels and dragons; satyrs and nymphs; ogres and giants. We spend the whole summer surrounded by these beautiful creatures with storybook names. Like their namesakes, these small beings often evade the human eye. They move quickly from place to place. Some seek out the shadows, and live largely unseen. But we are watchers, and have learned how to approach them (needless to say, one must approach an ogre with great care!). We see them up close, learn their ways, and appreciate their reason for being. Sometimes they even allow us to photograph them.

So, as summer draws to a close, let us honor these tiny beings who live their lives beside us, among us, above and beneath us. Like the mythical creatures they are named for, may they fill our imaginations with wonder, just as they fill our summers with beauty.

Common Wood-Nymph

Little Wood Satyr

Giant Swallowtail

Wandering Glider Dragonfly

Variable Dancer Damselfly

Gnat Ogre