Dragonfly Tattoos

The Dragonfly

Dragonflies, or those insects belonging to the order Odonata (which include damselflies, which are very similar to dragonflies) are a type of insect with a long, thin body and two sets of strong and transparent wings. They are relatively harmless to humans - in the past some have believed that they bite, this is not the case - and eat many other insects such as mosquitos and flies, which keeps down their populations. Dragonflies tend to live from between six months to around six or seven years - a lengthy life for an insect. They are the world's fastest insects and they can reach speeds of up to 60 mph. Dragonflies are also quite large, the longest in existence today lives on Hawaii and is around 7.5 inches in length.

Damselflies are close cousins of the dragonfly and are often mistaken for a dragonfly upon first look. One easy way to distinguish between the two types of insects is to look at the way that they hold their wings when at rest. A damselfly will always hold their wings close to their body, while dragonflies do not. When being represented in art, however, damselflies and dragonflies are virtually identical.

Dragonfly Myths

The dragonfly has played a role in myths and stories in many cultures. Perhaps because of this mythical connection, dragonfly tattoos can be found in many different styles of tattoo artistry, such as tribal and Japanese styles.

Asian Myths

In Japan, the dragonfly has stood for many virtues; success, happiness and victory being among them. Japanese legend states that an Emperor was once bitten by a horsefly, and a dragonfly ate the horsefly right afterwards. The Emperor was so pleased that he named what is now called Japan Akitsushima, which means "Isle of the Dragonfly". China, however, has never held the dragonfly as important - the Chinese take this symbol to mean instability and feebleness.

Western Myths

At one time, people in the American colonies believed that dragonflies were the "Devil's Darning Needle", sewing together the lips of lying children and cursing men as they slept. The Zuni Indians had a myth about two children who were left behind when their village's corn crop failed. The boy child created a dragonfly doll to amuse his sister. The dragonfly magically came to life, and this pleased the corn maidens. The maidens made the corn harvest bountiful and restored the children's village so that all of the residents could return. There have been many different books written based on this myth, and it is one of the most popular legends regarding an insect.

Dragonfly Tattoos

Dragonfly tattoos are as individual and unique as the people who choose to get them inked on their body. Some people prefer the colorful shades of a dragonfly portrait or drawing, while others choose a more stark black approach. Typically, a dragonfly in a tattoo will be depicted from the top down, allowing the wearer to show the full beauty of a dragonfly. Once associated with (or thought to be) fairies, these tattoos do bear a resemblance to fairy tattoos. Here are some good places to get ideas:

• TattooFinder offers several samples and ideas of dragonfly tattoos for you to look through
• The Dragonfly Website has photos and realistic drawings of many different species of dragonfly, so you can come up with your own ideas and take them to your tattoo artist

Dragonfly tattoos are a perfect way to pay tribute to this beautiful, mythical and extremely useful insect.