A DRAGONFLY made a surprise flying visit to a garden centre near Worcester, delighting diners in the cafe.

The insect - identified by experts as a 'common darter' - did not seem the least bit perturbed as it hovered about the cafe's outdoor dining area at David's Garden Centre by Cherry Lane, Martin Hussingtree between Worcester and Droitwich on Saturday. 

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One visitor said: "I kept thinking the dragonfly would either take fright or get sick of all the people huddling around it for a glimpse and just fly away. As it flitted from table to table, it did not seem particularly bothered by all the attention it was getting. It seemed to regard us all more as a mild irritation than a threat. 

"What was quite striking was the intricate patterns and shadows the sunlight made as it passed through the insect's delicate, transparent wings. The tiny labyrinth of veins on the wings cast a matching shadow on the table.

"Occasionally it would look at us with these strange, jewel-like eyes and cock its head to one side as if it was as curious about us as we were about it."

Wendy Carter, communications lead at the Worcestershire Wildlife Trust, said: "It’s a common darter – one of our most common and widespread dragonflies in Worcestershire.

"They’re found around still or slow-moving water bodies like ponds, lakes and canals (they’re one of the most likely dragonflies to be spotted around garden ponds). They can also be found well away from water – hunting for insect prey along woodland rides, for example.

"They’re one of only a few dragonflies that can be seen well into autumn – often into November but the latest date that one has been in Worcestershire is December 1 – so they’re an insect for people to look for if autumn remains mild.

"It’s interesting a person was able to get so close. They need warmth to fly – perhaps it was a little chilly."

She said these dragonflies were visual hunters and have great eyesight. 

In the video, the dragonfly can be seen moving its head which would be to assess whether there was any threat or whether there was any food flying past.

"As their name suggests, they hunt by darting out from a perch and they’ll often return to the same place to rest," she said.