Cindy Crosby – Chasing Dragonflies

Discover the fascinating and bizarre lives of these flying insects–with plenty of group fun and lively interaction during the presentation. From their unusual life cycle of transformation, mystifying migratory habits, and their struggle for survival, there is plenty to marvel about!
Hear their cultural history, including some of the myths and superstitions that surround them. See close-up beautiful photography of some of our dragonflies in Illinois. Then discover a few tips for photographing these remarkable flying creatures, and how to use iNaturalist and other resources to help identify them.

Cindy Crosby is the author, compiler, or contributor to more than 20 books, including Chasing Dragonflies: A Natural, Cultural, and Personal History (Northwestern University Press, 2020). She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point in 2014 with a master’s degree in natural resources, with a focus on environmental interpretation. As a prairie steward,
Cindy helps manage and coordinate the work of volunteers on the Schulenberg Prairie. She also trains dragonfly monitors and coordinates dragonfly programs at two sites in Illinois: The Morton Arboretum and Nachusa Grasslands in Franklin Grove, IL. When she is not out chasing dragonflies, she is blogging each week on “Tuesdays in the Tallgrass” at WordPress. Discover more about Cindy and her work at www.cindycrosby.com .

Thank you Cindy for a lively and animated presentation! It even included a sing-a-long!! Here are a few slides from Cindy’s program. Click to enlarge: