Why Dragonfly Tattoo so Popular?

Dragonflies began to see a sharp rise in popularity in the later half of the 90s. Along with ladybugs, butterflies, fairies and flowers, they witnessed to a rising trend of young women going under the gun. Small, demure but incredibly sexy designs began showing up more and more often across the country, and in truth, the world. On breasts, shoulders, hipbones and tailbones, starkly feminine designs like the dragonfly were finding more forms and homes.

But dragonflies have brought with them more than simply an artistic appeal. The more that you learn about this small but very powerful creature, the more you understand that it is not only a testimony to beauty, but also to strength and more importantly, change.

You see, the dragonfly is very similar to the butterfly in two respects: first, they both are flying insects with four wings, and secondly, they both go through a metamorphosis period to emerge as fully formed and functional new creatures. For the dragonfly (and its closest relative, the damselfly), life starts out encased in an egg. These eggs are laid in water, and when the young dragonfly emerges, it is known as a nymph. These juvenile dragonflies are not nearly of the beauty or stature of their adult counterparts. In fact, they can be downright ugly. Their wings are tiny and their jaws are large and extended, to make it easier to find their favorite foods (like mosquito larvae). They can spend three years in the nymph stage, living in water, waiting to truly take form.

The chance that the procedure of morphing from nymph to dragonfly is painful is very high. The first step seems easy enough. The nymph just climbs out of the water to rest on a plant stem or leaf. But then, the process really begins! The skin of the nymph begins to split, with the new head emerging from the ruins. The rest of it emerges, until finally free, its wings have a chance to dry and become strong enough to fly. The process takes about two hours. However, it wont be fully complete for another day or two, when the beautiful colors begin to fully come in.