Dancing Demoiselles

A trip to Conwy Water Gardens for a new pond pump turns out to bring unexpected pleasures. The small sales area is attached to a cafe - where refreshments are of course enjoyed! - and a ‘Nature Trail’ where a variety of ducks and, bizarrely, otters and capybaras used to be housed, though now it’s just a rather pleasant walk. 

This morning’s cloud dissipates so we can walk the lakeside trail in beautiful dappled sunshine, purple rhododendrons and flag irises reflected in still waters. We cross a wooden bridge and a sudden movement catches my eye. Dark, fluttering shapes dance rapidly through the vegetation. At first I think they’re butterflies, but these are almost black and I struggle to identify them as any native species. Then, looking closer, I see streaks of inky iridescence in their wings: they’re quite literally beautiful demoiselles! Four, five six - maybe more - dark male beauties dancing furiously, desperate to attract a female impressed enough to mate. Afraid to rest and miss their chance, they flutter endlessly, circling one another, rising, falling, but never resting long enough for me to photograph them. I try to capture them dancing, managing only a ghostly blue blur of motion.  

Then a female arrives and, choosing her suitor, flies off high into the trees. With G’s help I can just about see them - I can’t wear my glasses when I’m photographing - and manage to capture either the early or late stages of them mating - they’re forming half a heart rather than a full! 

Moving on, we come to another area which seems to have been chosen for rest and relaxation rather than their furious dancing. Here I find both male and female resting on the curving blades of reeds - though one female seems to be ovipositing. More common damsels flit around, their beauty now outshone by these larger, showier cousins - the so aptly named Beautiful Demoiselle! 

I take over 400 shots today - many of which contain just vegetation, the dancing demoiselles vanishing as if they were never there! But there’s the inevitable set as evidence of an enchanting afternoon!