Sidewalk Art

Near freezing this morning with only the slightest of frost touching parts of the neighborhood. The first morning since last spring that I was able to see my breath when I stepped outside. A few hours later, as the temperature approached 50 degrees, I walked to the library.

Along the way I saw a number of Autumn Meadowhawks perched flat on the cement of the sidewalks, like fossils or sidewalk art. This species persists longer than all others, surviving the first frosts and freezes, so this was not a surprise. Most years the Autumn Meadowhawks makes it through October and into the first weeks of November. Once the cold weather sets in, these hardy dragonflies will often be found perching on sunlit vertical surfaces, tree trunks, the sides of houses, even people wearing dark colored clothing will do, any place optimal to the uptake of solar energy.

Posted on October 11, 2017 02:39 AM by