The Dragonfly Chrysalis
On the last day of June in 2019 I was out on the kayak paddling along the shoreline of Lac Seul and decided to pull in to take a break. As I walked down a random section of cobbled shoreline to stretch my legs I began to notice some unusual activity. Suddenly, all around me numerous strange looking bugs were emerging from the water and crawling up onto the rocks. For a moment it felt as if I was watching an invasion of aliens!
The wet bugs became stationary on the rocks and, in the heat of the summer sun; the outside surface quickly became dry and began to look like a brittle shell. In no time at all cracks appeared on the exterior surface behind the head and several wispy, white tentacles poked through the opening. Slowly but steadily it appeared like a new creature was pushing itself through the back husk of the previous bug. It was eerily similar and vividly reminded me of an alien sci-fi movie!
As the emerging adult dragonfly pushes itself clear of the cast skin shell (exuvia) its wings begin to unfurl and stretch out to dry
Remarkably, I looked around and watched as the same scenario was being played out by hundreds if not thousands of other dragonflies down the entire stretch of cobbled shoreline! Apparently I happened to be in the right place at the right time. But, having lived on the lake my entire life, I wondered why I had never witnessed this event (which obviously occurs on an annual basis) before? How many times have I been out on the water just cruising along in the boat or, even worse, sitting at my desk working totally oblivious to the fact that the amazing dragonfly chrysalis occurrence?
Fortunately, I was able to see this incredible process of transformation. However, not only did I appreciate the experience but it was also a stark reminder that I was surrounded by many miracles of nature and that I needed to slow down and pay more attention to the beauty all around me. It seems to me that we humans emerge into adulthood and become so caught up with getting a job to earn money to pay bills and buy things that we often lose sight of what is really important. Perhaps humanity needs to abandon the brash mind-set of conquering nature to maintain a lifestyle of busy overconsumption and transform into a species that lives within nature?
With wings unfurled and not quite dry, the adult dragonfly takes its first tentative flight over a short distance landing on my gloved hand. It rests for several minutes allowing its outstretched set of double wings to completely dry. I gaze in admiration until the dragonfly slowly lifts off and takes flight. It performs a complex series of zig-zag manoeuvers as though it had been flying for years before eventually zooming out of sight.
