The Springwater Dancer (Argia plana) is a widespread damselfly of the south central U.S., where it usually occupies flowing, clear streams. The top two photos here were shot along a clear Texas hill country stream on the Balcones Canyonlands NWR in Travis Co., Texas in June 2003. The images are digital captures with a Canon EOS 10D and EF 180 Macro lens with a 1.4 extender and a ring flash. See below for more photos on an interesting "pale-morph" of this species.

The below shot was taken in Travis Co., Texas in May, 2005, with a Canon EOS 1D Mark II and an EF 180mm F/3.5 Macro and 580 EX flash.

The next set of three photos illustrate a very interesting damselfly which is apparently a very pale form or morph of Springwater Dancer. The first photo (of these three) is a shot of an immature male apparent Springwater Dancer taken in northern Presidio Co., Texas on a private ranch in September 2004 with a Canon EOS 1D Mark II and an EF 300 mm F/4 L IS lens with 2X extender and 550 EX flash. Below this imm. male shot are two photos of another, older male from near the same location. When initially observed, we thought perhaps this was some strange Mexican species since its thorax was so pale blue and its abdomen showed a violet color. In addition, the humeral stripe was forked, unlike more "typical" Springwater Dancers shown in the top photos on this page. Several (of the dozen or more present) were collected and subsequent examination of the specimens by Dr. John Abbott at the University of Texas indicates they were indeed Springwater Dancer (Argia plana).

Since several people have asked about these odd-looking apparent A. plana and whether or not any of the more "typical" appearing members of the species were present, I will add a little commentary. The clear-flowing stream where these individuals were found comes down a canyon in northern Presidio County in fairly rugged terrain. These pale damsels were all found in along a ca. 100 meter length of the stream. In this vicinity I saw no "normal" A. plana, just ones that looked like the below photos. Several hundred meters up the stream, however, I did see several typical looking A. plana.

This closeup of the dorsal pattern of the thorax and head of a male Springwater Dancer was taken in the Davis Mountains, Jeff Davis Co., Texas, in June, 2005, with a Canon EOS 1D Mark II and EF 180mm F/3.5 Macro and 1.4X extender.

The ovipositing pairs of Springwaters were in the Davis Mountains of west Texas in June, 2005. This shot was taken with a Canon EOS 1D Mark II and EF 300mm F/4 L IS lens and 580 flash.

The male on the left was taken at the same time and place as the above two shots.

The male on the left was in Austin, Travis Co., Texas, in May, 2007 and was shot with a Canon EOS 1D Mark III and EF 300mm F/4 L IS lens and 2X extender and 580 flash.