An unmistakeable Lestid, the largest in our region. Males and females look similar, dark with strong blue pruinescence on thorax and at the end of the abdomen. It extends across Europe to Mongolia with a somewhat fragmented distribution. in Western Europe it is very local and largely coastal. In Iberia there are old records, which indicate that the distribution is similar to that shown on the map above. The truth however is rather different. Following a number of dry winters and other adverse whether conditions this magnificent Lestid was thought to be extinct on the Iberian Peninsula. In 2009 it was rediscovered at the Laguna de la Fuente de la Piedra in Southern Spain (Cano Villegas et al 2010). Since then it appears to have recolonised into the Coto Donana and into a number of suitable areas in Cadiz and Malaga Provinces. In 2016 it was found in Ciudad Real and in 2018, a vintage year for the species, new sites were found in Albacete, a completely new Province.
L. macrostigma is a lestid with a particular association with Sea Club Rush (Bolboschoenus maritimus). This is a very early species to appear with records as early as April; it is normally over by the end of June. The adults emerge and sexually mature very quickly. This is a species of seasonal wetlands, Coto Donana, Camargue and in Spain, shallow salt lakes; the strategy appears to be to lay early in the year when water is still present in the habitat which invariably dries out during summer months.
In 2013 I was part of a small survey team looking at dragonflies in the Coto Donana. We were quite late (mid June) and on the last day we looked at "lucios" which in Spanish means mirrors, so called because they are the late surviving wetlands and used by L. macrostigma for ovipositiing. We thought that we may be too late; however there had been no rain during the winter until February, larval development had commenced very late explaining late emergence and our successful survey.
In 2013 I was part of a small survey team looking at dragonflies in the Coto Donana. We were quite late (mid June) and on the last day we looked at "lucios" which in Spanish means mirrors, so called because they are the late surviving wetlands and used by L. macrostigma for ovipositiing. We thought that we may be too late; however there had been no rain during the winter until February, larval development had commenced very late explaining late emergence and our successful survey.
In May 2018 my good friend Fons Peels (Dragonflypix.com) sent me this picture. The site was described by Fons as of literally millions of young L. macrostigma emerging on the Evros Delta in Northern Greece. No copulas, no ovipositing. Were they dispersing? Were they just maturing ?