Red damselfly mating sequence

Lord Vetinari

Found another pair of red damselflies trying to couple yesterday. When I spotted them they were on a horizontal leaf and the female just could not get her abdomen past the leaf. By the time I'd got my camera, they had moved to a slightly more sloping leaf but still needed another half dozen tries before they were able to get the coupling position correct.
All natural light/fill flash shots

Brian V.

mehampson

I really like the portrait orientation on the last one. It's framed perfectly. Though these shots do make you suspect evolution could have found an easier way for these guys... )

Lord Vetinari

mehampson wrote:

I really like the portrait orientation on the last one. It's framed perfectly. Though these shots do make you suspect evolution could have found an easier way for these guys... )

Thanks for the comments.
Have to admit #6 was the only shot where I tried for a better framing /composition as they were then in a stable position. - was just interested in capturing the activity in the others. Does seem an overly complex mating method especially as the male has to move sperm from the tip of his abdomen to the sperm cavity under the first abnominal segment before this all starts.

Brian V.