#232155
Sep 4th, 2008 at 06:21 PM
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Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 31,597
Purl One
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Purl One
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 31,597 |
Late this afternoon, my son was looking out the sliding glass doors of the kitchen at the backyard. He called to me, to come look at the "herd of hummingbirds" that was flying back and forth repeatedly in the yard. So of course I jumped up to look, because I've never seen that many hummers. They were not hummers. They WERE about 50 or so dragonflies flying back and forth and back and forth in a frenzy! Upon closer look, Brian noticed a small swarm of VERY small insects that was rotating in one spot and the dragonflies were flying around this cluster of insects. It did not appear that they were actually eating them, or going after them, as their path was much wider than the small area of the insects. Also... they were flying high off the ground - they were higher than our second story deck. Anyone have a clue what might have been going on?  It lasted for about 20 minutes!
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Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 19,236 Likes: 33
Patriot
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Patriot
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 19,236 Likes: 33 |
can't wait to read the answer to this one.
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Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 21,848
Hot Rod
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Hot Rod
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 21,848 |
beats me, till today we called them snake eaters.......No idea why.
I always feared them......
Still do.
Maybe I better look that up.......
![[Linked Image]](//www.agardenersforum.com/images/graphics/buttons/dodge.gif) ![[Linked Image]](//www.agardenersforum.com/images/graphics/buttons/gardenhelper.jpg) PS... My horse isn't here, this is my Nitemare..
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Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 21,848
Hot Rod
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Hot Rod
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 21,848 |
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DragonflyGo there.. They eat insects.........ha ha
PS... My horse isn't here, this is my Nitemare..
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Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 19,236 Likes: 33
Patriot
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Patriot
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 19,236 Likes: 33 |
they don't bite people dodge. They look mean but they don't actually hurt people. Lynne said they weren't eating.
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Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 31,597
Purl One
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Purl One
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 31,597 |
Interesting reading, Dodge - thanks for the link. But it still doesn't explain why they were flying back and forth and back and forth in that frenzy, and only today? Unless they all hatched today? But they were all large ones?
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Joined: May 2005
Posts: 6,521
The Bird Man
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The Bird Man
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 6,521 |
It was the annual Dragonfly/Midge Dance. They've held it every year in a different location for the last 10,000 years......or so a Dragonfly told me.
![[Linked Image]](//www.agardenersforum.com/images/graphics/buttons/thorny.gif) Kingdoms RAGE and go to war...but the PEasants plant potatoes.. EARTH FIRST! (we'll strip-mine the OTHER planets later.)
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California Queen
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California Queen
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 37,027 Likes: 9 |
It might have been some type of mating thing. It is getting to the end of their season. I haven't ever seen anything like your description either.
~Tina ![[Linked Image]](//www.agardenersforum.com/images/graphics/buttons/tina.gif) Drama Free Zone. What every gardener loves the most, Begins and ends in rich compost. (Tina)
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Joined: Oct 2005
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Hot Rod
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Hot Rod
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 21,848 |
It was the annual Dragonfly/Midge Dance. They've held it every year in a different location for the last 10,000 years......or so a Dragonfly told me. My hubby said it was a family Picnic..LOL We had one sunday... Glad your better thorn...... 
PS... My horse isn't here, this is my Nitemare..
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Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 31,597
Purl One
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Purl One
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 31,597 |
I knew I could count on Thorny for an explanation!    Brian and I were joking that it was "the day of the locusts!" That's how thick they were flying back and forth!!! Hmmmmmmmmm - I HAVE been seeing more grasshoppers than usual this week also!  Wonder if they are all trying to tell me something?!?  
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Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 21,848
Hot Rod
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Hot Rod
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 21,848 |
Maybe grasshoppers want to keep you Hopping....LOL Practice for easter bunny try outs.LOL 
PS... My horse isn't here, this is my Nitemare..
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Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 19,236 Likes: 33
Patriot
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Patriot
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 19,236 Likes: 33 |
It was the annual Dragonfly/Midge Dance. They've held it every year in a different location for the last 10,000 years......or so a Dragonfly told me. Maybe it's the Lortab.
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Joined: May 2005
Posts: 6,521
The Bird Man
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The Bird Man
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 6,521 |
......then the dragonfly ate my liver and the Great God Ra came down out of the sky on a golden barge and sneezed on my penguin.
Kingdoms RAGE and go to war...but the PEasants plant potatoes.. EARTH FIRST! (we'll strip-mine the OTHER planets later.)
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Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 21,848
Hot Rod
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Hot Rod
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 21,848 |
PS... My horse isn't here, this is my Nitemare..
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Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 31,597
Purl One
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Purl One
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 31,597 |
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Joined: May 2005
Posts: 6,521
The Bird Man
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The Bird Man
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 6,521 |
Kingdoms RAGE and go to war...but the PEasants plant potatoes.. EARTH FIRST! (we'll strip-mine the OTHER planets later.)
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