by Lisa Ball

Most of us at the table are bent on an orgy of casual yet acrobatic sex. The rest of us are trying to partake in a civilized meal but remain spellbound by the activities.

Of course the more unruly amongst us have six legs and compound eyes. The first downpours of the rainy season at the Domitila Wildlife Reserve mean it’s insect party time and everyone’s rocked up for the ride.

I can understand why the insects come. Apart from the obvious seductions of our moonlike lanterns in the darkness, Silvio and Maria Jose Mejia work hard to welcome everyone, from the indigenous boneless frog to me, the spineless extranjera who’s slightly overcome with insects. Indeed it’s not an easy task to combine the needs of the wildlife with the desires of the domesticated tourist. In fact some would go as far as to say that ecotourism is an oxymoron, that columns of tourists tramping through the forest like trash-wielding leaf cutter ants simply cannot be good for a delicate ecosystem. The Mejia’s however are working hard to prove the pessimists wrong.