Darning Needle

aka Dragonfly (Order Odonata infraorder Anosoptera which comes from the Greek for 'not' + 'equal' + 'wings', because the hind wings are broader from the fore wings)

When I was a kid, I once heard some other kids run away from the pond, screaming "Darning Needle! Darning Needle!" thinking that a dragonfly was dangerous. In fact they are only dangerous to mosquitos, and sometimes to flies, bees and ants. Rarely even butterflies.

This image, seen from above, is of the left (port) wings. The head is towards the right in this image. The detail is mind-boggling, like most things when examined closely. Best viewed really large.

Footnote: I see many 'cells' with 4 or 5 sides, quite a few with 6, and rarely 7. Can't find 8, or surprisingly, 3. You'd think the strength of a triangle would be in there somewhere, but maybe it's trumped by flexibility.

SubSunday nod to Simon's professional work.