[Odonata-l] ?'s about visual perception of Odonates in particular, but also of animals in general

[Martha Smith]

I haven't written in a very long time, but I have been videoing (digitally)
a very small, somewhat confined, area every summer consistently, since 2001,
in the Northern Coastal Plain of NC.  I have been attempting to prove
the previous postings (commencing about June 11, 2001)  referring to a story
I told in an email I sent to several Odonatists about a particular odonate
(and its colony) that our family called "Mr. Dragonfly."

I have since learned much, especially from all of you, and recorded a great
many intersocial/interdependent behaviors.

I do think our rather singular observations might not be that unusual
(especially, noting some of the experiences related in other postings), in
that I/we took the time to establish the habitat/"personal(for want of a
better, less anthropomorphic term)" relationship.  I sincerely think anyone
could do it given the time, the *isolation* and the inclination.  *UNLESS*,
the question I am about to pose has something to do with this unusual,
hopefully, symbiotic relationship.

I had to stop writing because I had contracted Toxoplasmosis which, because
it went undiagnosed for a *LONG* time and my immune system could not handle
it, I developed encephalitis.  You should all read--*CAREFULLY*-- about
Toxo--out in the field, exposed to soil, wastewater and even at home or at
your local restaurant--UNDERCOOKED meat causes at least 50% of the cases and
60% of the world's population tests positive for it.  at the worst of it-and
it came on very slowly--I could hardly communicate, walk, keep my balance or
read without closing one eye.  It started with my not being able to
concentrate--*VERY SUBTLE!!*--*SO--DON'T ASSUME YOU HAVE MS OR PARKINSON'S
WITHOUT HAVING BOTH YOUR IgM AND IgG* *specifically* for Toxo.

So here's the long awaited ?--My titer is still high for Toxo--The few
lingering lesions still fluoresce under ultraviolet light--I have had a a
spiking fever for years with this--and in front of one of those cameras that
record body heat--I am *red* while the people standing with me are *
blue/green.*

   *  Could the odonates be responding to my body heat caused by my
fevers--OR-- could they be responding to a color that I fluoresce due to the
parasite that has invaded my body?*
**
I appologize for the health report---but the symptoms began to come on *very
gradually*, after a knee operation and being exposed to the floodwaters of
Hurricane Floyd.  My doctors just wrote me off after guessing at various
antibiotics that didn't quite work--they thought I was just causing and
scratching all of the lesions that kept worsening.

I don't want any of you to go through this!  Yes, the reproductive cycle is
carried on in cats, but 99% of the French population tests positive for
Toxo--and they attribute it to their affinity for undercooked meats.

Thanks you guys--I promise to not write such long tomes from now on--I am
curious about my possible being perceived a different color than most people
right now--any answers?--Just today, I watched a wild lizard jump through
three trees to get to a post 10 inches away from me--*YES*, I knew the
lizards lived in the trees and I was calling "Little Lizard!"  Over and over
to see if one would come----*HA!!  HA!!---"MR."--is reserved for our male
dragonflies.*
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