A Great Spreadwing damselfly (Archilestes grandis) was spotted in the forest near a vernal pool at Huntley Meadows Park. This individual is the same male featured in my last blog post.
Before grooming
Look closely at the full-size version of the following photo. Notice the schmutz on the male damselfly’s abdomen, located near the right cercus of his terminal appendages.
11:09:41 a.m. EST
06 NOV 2016 | Huntley Meadows Park | Great Spreadwing (male)
Grooming
A while later the male damselfly contorted himself into a position that looked like he was doing gymnastics. As it turns out, he was rubbing the tip of his abdomen against his thorax and legs in order to remove the schmutz.
11:31:09 a.m. EST
06 NOV 2016 | Huntley Meadows Park | Great Spreadwing (male)
11:31:13 a.m. EST
06 NOV 2016 | Huntley Meadows Park | Great Spreadwing (male)
11:31:18 a.m. EST
06 NOV 2016 | Huntley Meadows Park | Great Spreadwing (male)
After grooming
Look closely at the full-size version of the following photo. Notice the schmutz on the male damselfly’s abdomen is gone. Soon afterward, the male flew in the direction of the vernal pool, presumably to look for female mates.
11:32:54 a.m. EST
06 NOV 2016 | Huntley Meadows Park | Great Spreadwing (male)
Related Resource: Great Spreadwing damselflies (males, gymnasts) is a blog post by Walter Sanford that includes an embedded video showing similar grooming behaviors. The video features two segments: segment one shows the male damselfly grooming his legs; segment two shows the male grooming his wings by rubbing his abdomen against them.
Editor’s Note: If you check the EXIF for all five photos, then you will see the time stamp is one hour later than the times shown above. 06 November was the first time I used my camera since the end of Daylight Saving Time (at 2:00 a.m. the same day) — I forgot to reset the time in-camera!
Copyright © 2016 Walter Sanford. All rights reserved.
Tags: Archilestes grandis, cerci, Family Lestidae (Spreadwings), Great Spreadwing damselfly, grooming, Huntley Meadows Park, male, terminal appendages, vernal pool, wildlife photography
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