The Attack of the Dragonflies!

This has been the summer of the mosquito. We joke (at least I hope it's meant as a joke) that the mosquito is our provincial bird. This year they have been bigger, badder, more numerous than I can ever remember. I drive to school, and tens of them greet me with little cries of joy (and immediately start biting) as I get out of the car. We burn things in the back yard trying to keep them away: It doesn't work. We slather stuff on our arms and legs for protection: Not nice!

Then last week we tried sitting on our patio for dessert with some friends who had joined us for supper. As we sat there, a squadron of dragonflies appeared over the rooftop. Soon we saw dragonflies everywhere! We have seen them since several times -- bigger than any other year, and full of mosquitoes.

It was like watching the cavalry arrive. We cheered them on, and I say "thank you" as I see one bouncing off our window waiting for mosquitoes. The Smithsonian tells us that dragonflies can eat 30 to hundreds of mosquitoes a day. Go dragonflies! I wonder where they all came from, last Tuesday as we ate our dessert on the patio?

Nkosi lamandla!