A Southern Fortnight, Part 5 – Southern Spreadwing damselflies (mating pairs, in tandem)

The Backstory: A Southern Fortnight

For the first two weeks during May 2015, Southern Spreadwing damselflies (Lestes australis) were observed at a vernal pool and nearby drainage ditch in the forest at Huntley Meadows Park. I spotted approximately six males and several females during the fortnight. Their sudden disappearance seemed to coincide with a population explosion of Eastern Pondhawk dragonflies (Erythemis simplicicollis) in mid-May. Eastern Pondhawks, especially females, are voracious predators with a penchant for preying upon damselflies.

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The following annotated image illustrates some of the reproductive anatomy of male and female Southern Spreadwings.

08 MAY 2015 | HMP | Southern Spreadwing (mating pair, in tandem)

The male uses his claspers to hold the female by her neck as he guides her to places where she can lay eggs (oviposit).

08 MAY 2015 | HMP | Southern Spreadwing (mating pair, in tandem)

The female uses her ovipositor to insert eggs into vegetation (endophytic oviposition).

08 MAY 2015 | HMP | Southern Spreadwing (mating pair, in tandem)

A mating pair may spend up to an hour in tandem, although in my limited experience, tandem egg-laying lasted approximately 10-15 minutes.

07 MAY 2015 | HMP | Southern Spreadwing (mating pair, in tandem)

Both sexes average two matings during lifetime. Source Credit: Paulson, Dennis (2011-12-19). Dragonflies and Damselflies of the East (Princeton Field Guides) (Kindle Location 1577). Princeton University Press. Kindle Edition.

07 MAY 2015 | HMP | Southern Spreadwing (mating pair, in tandem)

Related Resources:

• Another new species of spreadwing damselfly…
• A Southern Fortnight, Part 1 – Year-long mystery solved!
• A Southern Fortnight, Part 2 – Damselfly terminal appendages (male)
• A Southern Fortnight, Part 3 – Southern Spreadwing damselfly (male)
• A Southern Fortnight, Part 4 – Southern Spreadwing damselfly (female)
• A Southern Fortnight, Part 5 – Southern Spreadwing damselflies (mating pairs, in tandem)
• A Southern Fortnight, Part 6 – Damselfly reproductive anatomy
• A Southern Fortnight, Part 7 – “Arty”

Copyright © 2015 Walter Sanford. All rights reserved.

Tags: adult female, adult male, claspers, Family Lestidae (Spreadwings), Huntley Meadows Park, in tandem, Lestes australis, mating pair, oviposition, ovipositor, Southern Spreadwing damselfly, vernal pool, wildlife photography