We had storms last night & this morning it seemed as if the dragonflies were all picking a place to dry their wings out. Every one I saw had it's wings pitched forward like this.

I just ran across this & thought it was interesting. I never really knew how long dragonflies spend being nymphs.
http://citizenscientistsleague...

What kind of catipillar is this? He'said munching on my plants.

That's a saddleback! NO TOUCHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/crea...

If you touch it, you will feel fire & pain like lightning, I know as I raked the underside of my arm across one that was on the underside of a leaf. I got it from my armpit almost to my wrist. Use ammonia topically -- it destroys the protein in the poison. Take a Tylenol or Advil or whatever and a Benadryl or other antihistamine.

Also, use tape --- packaging, masking or what have you to pull any "hairs or spines or pieces of spines" out of your skin. You can't see them. You just press the tape on & then pull it off until you're sure you've covered the entire area.

Wow, Ann, those are nasty little buggers! Good link on them.

YVW Margaret. They are nasty little buggers for sure! And they *are* small but the pain isn't small when you have a run in with one. It was instantaneous and wicked! I did think to look to try & find what was causing this & began looking at the undersides of leaves. I had originally been reaching back through some bushes so I knew I got it there. Thank goodness for the markings on them that allowed me to find the culprit rather quickly. I ran into the house & grabbed the bottle of ammonia, ran back outside & just poured it down my arm --- several times. I did the tape thing, took an Advil & a Benadryl & I was fine but the venom was awful & my arm immediately had red streaks where I had gotten hit by the critter.

Ann, that sounds awful, I'm glad we don't have those around here.

If I hadn't known about the ammonia trick I'm positive it would have been much, much worse. As it was, about 4 hours later it was just a memory. But there is no way any calamine lotion or Benadryl gel or hydrocortisone cream would have given much relief if any.

I was reading on that link I posted about their host plants..... virtually everything I have here.

Boy, you better be very careful working around those plants.

Hey, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger right? I always keep the ammonia jug nearby when working around those things anyway.

Thanks so much Ann!! I stumped him between a banana leaf. I'll have to get some ammonia just in case!!

YVW Lisa. I usually live & let live but not saddlebacks. They are one of my very few exceptions.
Windex will do in a pinch as it has ammonia in it. Also vinegar can be used. I've used them all & found ammonia does the best job fastest but you do want to make sure you have good ventilation or you'll darn near asphyxiate yourself.

That was interesting reading. Wow deadly. Glad I live in Australia.

Loved the dragonfly article. Makes one think that the dragonfly is its old age and the larval stage is its youth and the more important. That is, maturity = death.

How true Glen.

Normally, I can't get near one of these with a camera. This one apparently flew through a spider web and the thread caught his wing and a couple of his legs limiting his ability to fly. I took a twig and freed him after the photo.

A nice pretty blue one!