Firewood and dragonflies

Q: There are signs all over the highway telling people to “Keep Firewood Local, avoid harmful insects.” What is the story behind that? ………….. Loves Campfires

A: These signs are a reminder of the ongoing battle the Worcester area has with the Asian Longhorn beetles that was first identified in 2008. More than 25,000 Maple trees have been cut down since then in Worcester County in the efforts to keep it from spreading to more of the area.

We can do our part by following the new regulations regarding firewood. The laws state that any firewood we use should be harvested and used locally, with 50 miles of where it was cut.

Check out the movie “Lurking in the Trees” available on Utube for more details on the beetle invasion in Worcester.

Q: There seem to be a lot of Dragonflies in my garden this summer . There are so many different kinds, colors, shapes and textures. What attracts them to the gardens? ………...Mesmerized

A: I love Dragonflies too. As a child I remember being somewhat less fond of them though, it probably had something to do with my brother telling me they were going to bite me and put stitches in my mouth. And with a name like dragonfly it would be easy to imagine the possibility.

Dragonflies and their cousins Damselflies have a mythology all their own. In Native American cultures the dragonfly spirit means one must consciously make an effort to express hopes, dreams, needs and wishes. It is the spirit of the winds of change bringing wisdom and enlightenment. It is the guide leading us through the mists of illusion on the pathway of enlightenment.

Dragonflies have amazing abilities being able to move in all six directions, move at an amazing 45mph, hover like a helicopter, fly backwards like a hummingbird, fly up, down and sideways all while flapping their wings only 30 times a minute while mosquitos and houseflies flap their wings 600 and 1000 times a minute respectively.

Although Dragonflies look like they have long stingers, they do not. The part that looks like a stinger is actually a clasper and the male uses it to hold onto the female when they are mating.

The Dragonfly uses 80% of its brain function to support its eyes. It has 30.000 lenses so they can see all the way around, bit it’s actual vision is not as good as the human eye.l

So if you are like me and like to have them come to the gardens here are a few things you can do to encourage them to come to you. Dragonflies love the water and can skit along the top of it very easily, every phase of their life revolves around the water. Place light colored stones to the edge of the pond to give them a place to sit in the sun and bake.

Each time you see one flying around, remember they help us adjust to change and are symbols good fortune.

Have a question? is there something you’ve always wondered about? Ask Madalyn invites your questions.

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