23rd Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Wildlife
Guardian of the green portal

Nature often unveils its intricacies in the most unassuming moments. Here, a Marsh Dancer damselfly (Onychargia atrocyana) peers through a small opening in a leaf, as if saying hello to the natural world and surveying its surroundings through the emerald frame. What may seem like a whimsical gesture is, in reality a typical posture used for spatial assessment and vigilance against potential predators. The image demonstrates the damselfly’s dependence on its keen vision and precise head movements for navigation and environmental interpretation. This moment provides a detailed glimpse into the structural adaptations and behavioural finesse characteristic of Odonates. Documented in its natural habitat, the encounter underscores the fragile yet remarkable biodiversity present in small ecological niches and reminds us that even the most diminutive organisms embody their own quiet significance within the broader tapestry of nature.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 11.2025
Date Uploaded: 12.2025
Photo Location: Balasore, Odisha, India, India
Copyright: © Sritam Kumar Sethy