LORI DUNN SCRATCHBOARD ART
promoting conservation through artistic efforts
Summer Sparkler
8 x 10
SOLD
Oh the dazzling and enchanting flash of a dragonfly as it whizzes by on the summer air...the translucent and ethereal beauty of the lacy wings as they catch the glint of the sun! As incredibly beautiful as they are, dragonflies are also important members of their ecosystem, especially wetlands. An adult dragonfly only exists for about 4 to 6 weeks, but in that time uses those powerful wings and large compound eyes to catch numerous flying insect pests such as mosquitoes. In contrast, the larval form of a dragonfly, or nymph, can live for up to two years in a body of water! Not only are the nymphs highly adept predators of aquatic insects, they in turn are a valuable food source for fish and amphibians. Dragonfly nymphs are also valuable indicators of water quality, as many species cannot tolerate pollution. In fact, dragonflies are also considered a model organism for assessing climate change due to their sensitive biological life cycle. The dragonfly in this piece is known as a frosted whiteface ( Leucorrhinia frigida ) This particular individual spent some time following me in my kayak before settling on a pickerel weed leaf to bask in the sun. The intricacies of the wings and striking shadows made for a challenging scratchboard piece!
