Dragonflies zoom and dart around in such lovely, random swipes of flight. If you could catch a couple dozen of them and tie sparkling streamers around their bodies or equip them with tiny backpacks full of glitter and confetti, you could unleash them all at once and let them fly around at your party. The backpacks would be made of gauze and have small holes in them, so the confetti and glitter would drop out a bit at a time. The streamers could be made of very light cellophane, so as not to hinder their flight; something like the many types of Christmas tinsels that are available these days. Maybe you can even make some fiber optic crowns for them to wear on their heads. The dragonflies would need to be adorned gently by your elf and then stored in a cool place until they are released at your party to dazzle your guests.

(Every night at sundown, our backyard is full of very large, black dragonflies and I think they are big enough to use for this idea.)
-- xandram, Sep 02 2007

For [2 fries] http://www.iwantone...agon-fly/index.html
Bought one of these for my mate's birthday. Great fun, will attach sparkler on next flight... [theleopard, Sep 04 2007]

The North American site http://www.flytechonline.com/
No indication of payload capabilities, could likely be fitted for sparkling tiara. [Canuck, Sep 04 2007]

You may run into trademark issues https://www.draganfly.com/
[notexactly, Feb 08 2016]

But how would you stop them from drinking everything is sight ? (+)

"Why did the butterfly flutter by?
Because he saw the dragonfly drink the flagon dry!"
Children's verse
-- xenzag, Sep 02 2007


hmmmm, if we could just remote control them...
-- 2 fries shy of a happy meal, Sep 03 2007


Brava, [xandram], +

I was amazed to search for "insect ornamentation" and find no precedent!

I recall fondly scenes from my childhood observing dragonflies mating; aside from provoking my interest in science, it was opportune to my interest in human mating!
-- csea, Sep 03 2007


I like [xenzag]'s verse, which I haven't heard before.
I don't mind the dragonflies drinking, but not the children!
-- xandram, Sep 03 2007


We can bake this! It should be possible to adapt the Flytech Dragonfly to meet xandram's needs. First, we find a way to gain access into the body cavity of the critter. Once inside we deposit a modicum of glitter then close it back up. Next, we poke several small holes in the underside of the body. This will allow the Dragonfly to dispense its glitter something like a salt shaker. The movement and vibration of normal flight will create a contrail of magical sparkles as Mister Dragonfly flits about your partygoers. Tinsel streamers not included.
-- Canuck, Sep 04 2007


This reminds me of my concept of the time traveler with the huge semi-intelligent Carboniferous-era dragonfly companion.

There is an HP Lovecraft story where the space lobsters speak by vibrating (something horrible, probably) very fast and modulating the vibration into speech. Probably sort of like an electrolarynx. Carbo the dragonfly should be able to do likewise.
-- bungston, Feb 11 2016



random, halfbakery