Penny Gullan and Peter Cranston, both professors of evolution, ecology, and genetics, are the authors of the latest edition of a widely-used college entomology textbook entitled, "The Insects: An Outline of Entomology". These two evolutionists begin the third chapter with this statement: "The dissected open body of an insect is a complex and compact masterpiece of functional design."

   It’s evening, and the sun is going down; whether you’re in the Deschutes River valley or up in the Cascades near Salmon La Sac, you will hear the chirps of crickets. If it is in the high desert near the Deschutes the beautiful chirping that you will hear will probably be made by true crickets -- field crickets to be precise. If you are not in the high desert, but up in the forested mountains of the Cascades, it will be a whole different picture. Instead of the lovely serenade of the field crickets that could lull anyone to sleep, a loud, obnoxious screech meets your ears. Eeeeeeeeeeee!

Catching dragonflies can be great fun, and is very simple too. There are many different reasons to catch them. Some people do it to take pictures, while others do it to observe the insects’ behavior. There is one important rule, though, that should be followed: be extremely careful not to harm the dragonfly. Remember, God told us to take dominion over His creation, which means we are caretakers, not destroyers.

Several tools are needed for catching dragonflies:

I have a long history with stinging insects. There was the time when I was only three or four and I threw a rock at a wasp nest. My brother, whose idea it was, was safely hidden before I threw, of course. Then there was the time I intercepted a bee with a swing in mid-flight. And there was also the time I ran into a nest while skirting a creek and ended up with three stings and my hat floating downstream. But nothing compares to the shining moment of my “career.”