Growing Up Damselflies

When I was 12, I used to spend my break for afternoon prayer chasing and gently capturing damselflies around the school field and ablution area. I liked those thin flying grubs and took pride in my ability to sneak up on them and show them off to my classmates.

Also when you grab hold of their end part (gentle does it; you don't want to literally spill their guts), they coil on your fingertips. Slightly tickling but it was oddly calming.

There was a patch of water at the corner of our neighbourhood where I used to stroll every evening and you could find them perching on the tip of tall aquatic plants. If in luck, they might come nearer, but I think it was genetic know-how that prompted them to stay put and sneer at me from a distance.

Normal kids would call them pepatung, but being infatuated with Dr. Slump at that time (and when was I normal?), I boldly declared them capung.

They forever remain my favourite insect. And also because they eat dimwitted mosquitoes and stupid flies on a daily occasion.

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I was then a kid with the knowledge of dragonflies' presence indicates clean water (whilst waterlilies' observes a dirty one) because they are originally grubs, specifically called naiads living underwater up to months before ascending as the beautiful flying creatures they are, and naiads could not survive in polluted water.

Kind of like us growing up, and the analogy fascinated me since I was 12.

P/s: I am not sure if catching damselflies is something a good kid does.