Demoiselle

Identification - Vestalis luctuosa.

This is a fairly rare find, not something that I see every day. In fact, it is on the IUCN red list as near threatened. The problem is that it never wanders away from the copious vegetation which lines the streams which cover Java. With a rapidly growing population, the streams are being stripped of vegetation and pollution is a huge problem here. Odonata (dragons and damsels) are often considered good indicators of a pollution free environment, so how these glorious creatures survive here at all is beyond belief.

A particularly striking creature, not just in its dazzling color, but its size also. Its wing beat is slow and laborious and quite wonderful to watch. You would be mistaken to think that it would find hunting food on the wing a big problem. I have watched it hunt and it plucks unsuspecting bugs from the air with consummate ease.

This specimen is a female, drab in comparison with the metallic steel blue of the male.

Difficult to photograph, as it hides amongst the bushes. Quite shy too and the approach has to be with the utmost stealth. Always a great sense of achievement to nail one.

Dave