Thread Black 12/0 Nano Silk (8/0 or 6/0 also fine)
Materials
Foam round eyes Black craft foam mm (1 pair, small)
Indian hen fibers Brown hen hackle (tail and legs)
Semperfli dry-fly poly yarn Caddis brown (body)
Ice Dub Brown dubbing (small pinch (thorax))
Cobbler's wax Natural case (touch for the Nano Silk)
How to tie it
Wax the Nano Silk so it grips, start it behind the eye, and lay a short base.
Figure-eight the small foam round eyes on top near the hook eye, wraps in front, behind, and around the base of each eye; a drop of Zap-A-Gap keeps them from slipping. Run the thread down to the bend.
Tie in a short tail of brown Indian hen fibers, about a quarter of a shank-length, with no stem in the bunch.
Tie in the poly yarn at the base of the tail and throw a half hitch or whip finish in the thread before wrapping.
Wrap the yarn forward to where the thorax will start (short of the eyes), back to near the tail, and forward again, pulling tight so it can't slide, building a slightly tapered dragonfly abdomen; tie off behind the eyes.
Rib the abdomen with the tying thread: spiral diagonally down to the tail, then reverse direction and spiral back up so the wraps cross-hatch and lock the yarn.
Tie in a few hen fibers along each side of the thorax for legs, even on both sides.
Dub a skinny noodle of brown Ice Dub and fill in the thorax around the eyes. A bit scruffy is fine; snip any errant strands.
Whip finish twice (Nano Silk needs no head cement) and trim.