Lestidae
My favourite family. The feature of Lestids is that they cannot cope with predators especially fish. This means they tend to frequent ponds where no fish are found and where dragonflies are the top predators. In other words ca good Lestid pond is a good dragonfly pond. I cannot generalise on my favourite beasts and, therefore, each species will be dealt with separately here
My favourite family. The feature of Lestids is that they cannot cope with predators especially fish. This means they tend to frequent ponds where no fish are found and where dragonflies are the top predators. In other words ca good Lestid pond is a good dragonfly pond. I cannot generalise on my favourite beasts and, therefore, each species will be dealt with separately here
The first point to note about Lestids is their larvae. They are big and pretty but useless at hiding from predators.
They like to sit in the sun in shallow water - even if you put your net in front of them they hardly move. In summary they cannot cope with predators and especially not fish.
So how do you cope if you cannot hide from predators?
They like to sit in the sun in shallow water - even if you put your net in front of them they hardly move. In summary they cannot cope with predators and especially not fish.
So how do you cope if you cannot hide from predators?
- live somewhere where there are none
- spend most of your time in a form that predators are not a problem
Identification. I have given some tips here but only for males; you need the books for the females
Lestes macrostigma - huge, uniformly dark blue pruinose in both males and females - unmistakeable
Sympecma fusca - small, brown to dark, no pruinescence. blue eyes during breeding season
Chalcolestes viridis - large uniformly green no pruinescence. Light coloured anal appendages and pterostigma
This leaves the northern and southern Lestids which are explained below:
Lestes macrostigma - huge, uniformly dark blue pruinose in both males and females - unmistakeable
Sympecma fusca - small, brown to dark, no pruinescence. blue eyes during breeding season
Chalcolestes viridis - large uniformly green no pruinescence. Light coloured anal appendages and pterostigma
This leaves the northern and southern Lestids which are explained below:
- Northern Lestids - Blue pruinescence on thorax: blue eyes
- Southern Lestids - No pruinescence on thorax : blue eyes only on L. virens virens
The Northern Lestids - Lestes sponsa (left below ) and Lestes dryas (right below) are quite different in appearance from other species in the genus in that the males have extensive blue pruinescence on abdomen and thorax; but they look very similar to each other.
The best way to separate them is by examining the anal appendages. If the lower appendages are straight (Fig A) this is Lestes sponsa. If the appendages are incurved and clublike (Fig B & C) then Lestes dryas is the species.
Another useful and fairly reliable tip is the second abdominal segment (see top pictures). In Lestes sponsa it is mostly covered in blue pruinescence whilst in L. dryas the pruinescence is only present on the top half.
The best way to separate them is by examining the anal appendages. If the lower appendages are straight (Fig A) this is Lestes sponsa. If the appendages are incurved and clublike (Fig B & C) then Lestes dryas is the species.
Another useful and fairly reliable tip is the second abdominal segment (see top pictures). In Lestes sponsa it is mostly covered in blue pruinescence whilst in L. dryas the pruinescence is only present on the top half.
The Southern Lestids
Quite different from the Northern Lestids on account of their daintier build and much reduced blue pruinescence which is only present at the end of the abdomen.
Lestes barbarus (left) bi-coloured pterostigma. Blue pruinescence only present (often hard to see) on the last abdominal segment
Lestes virens ssp virens (right) bi-coloured pterostigma (but not as much as L. barbarus). Blue pruinescence on final two segments of abdomen and around the wing entries. Smaller than L. barbarus and often with blue eyes.
Anal appendages (see below) are quite different. L. barbarus - long and angular lower appendages. L. virens short stubby lower appendages.
Quite different from the Northern Lestids on account of their daintier build and much reduced blue pruinescence which is only present at the end of the abdomen.
Lestes barbarus (left) bi-coloured pterostigma. Blue pruinescence only present (often hard to see) on the last abdominal segment
Lestes virens ssp virens (right) bi-coloured pterostigma (but not as much as L. barbarus). Blue pruinescence on final two segments of abdomen and around the wing entries. Smaller than L. barbarus and often with blue eyes.
Anal appendages (see below) are quite different. L. barbarus - long and angular lower appendages. L. virens short stubby lower appendages.
Distribution and Ecology
Lestes macrostigma
The largest and most distinctive species of the genus. This is an unmistakeable and magnificent damselfly. In Iberia it is only currently known from the extreme south coast - Coto Donana and along towards Malaga. Inland it is now only found at the Laguna de la Fuente de la Piedra but there are old records for endorreic lakes in Almeria and around Madrid. There are often long periods (years) when it is not recorded from particular localities, it then reappears often in huge numbers as has happened recently on the Coto Donana. How it survives these long periods of absence is not known.
L. macrostigma has a short larval life (3 months) and often emerges very early in the year before the pools, known on the Coto Donana as Lucios have dried out. March to May is the best time to search for this treasure.
Survival strategy - temporary often brackish pools therefore no fish. short larval life and emerging early in the year before the pools dry out
The largest and most distinctive species of the genus. This is an unmistakeable and magnificent damselfly. In Iberia it is only currently known from the extreme south coast - Coto Donana and along towards Malaga. Inland it is now only found at the Laguna de la Fuente de la Piedra but there are old records for endorreic lakes in Almeria and around Madrid. There are often long periods (years) when it is not recorded from particular localities, it then reappears often in huge numbers as has happened recently on the Coto Donana. How it survives these long periods of absence is not known.
L. macrostigma has a short larval life (3 months) and often emerges very early in the year before the pools, known on the Coto Donana as Lucios have dried out. March to May is the best time to search for this treasure.
Survival strategy - temporary often brackish pools therefore no fish. short larval life and emerging early in the year before the pools dry out
Chalcolestes viridis
A common large Lestid found throughout the peninsula in pools and sluggish rivers wherever there is overhanging shrub vegetation. The adults emerge in spring and then leave the water to aestivate. They return to the breeding habitat in autumn often as late as November where they mate and lay their eggs in overhanging branches such as hawthorn and willow. The adult pair is illustrated along with the tell tale egg cuts which are a good way of finding this insect.
Emergence takes place in May and June but if you want to see the mature adults September onwards is the best time.
Survival strategy - aestivate as adults avoiding predators. No blue pruinescence, their green colouring blending perfectly with the shrubs in which they lay their eggs. Short larval life
A common large Lestid found throughout the peninsula in pools and sluggish rivers wherever there is overhanging shrub vegetation. The adults emerge in spring and then leave the water to aestivate. They return to the breeding habitat in autumn often as late as November where they mate and lay their eggs in overhanging branches such as hawthorn and willow. The adult pair is illustrated along with the tell tale egg cuts which are a good way of finding this insect.
Emergence takes place in May and June but if you want to see the mature adults September onwards is the best time.
Survival strategy - aestivate as adults avoiding predators. No blue pruinescence, their green colouring blending perfectly with the shrubs in which they lay their eggs. Short larval life
Sympecma fusca
Known in English as the Winter damsel which is apt because this genus is the only species of European dragonfly that spends the winter as an adult. It is distributed widely throughout the peninsula and can be abundant in the spring when the adults appear to mate and oviposit. The emergents are brown and very dull (left) and this is how they spend the winter in cracks and crevices. In Spring they darken (right) and develop bright blue eyes more often in males.
Survival strategy - winter as an adult hidden in crevices. Short lkarval life. Adults dark so as not to stand out in ovipostion as the vegetation at this time of year in almost always last year's dead stems.
Known in English as the Winter damsel which is apt because this genus is the only species of European dragonfly that spends the winter as an adult. It is distributed widely throughout the peninsula and can be abundant in the spring when the adults appear to mate and oviposit. The emergents are brown and very dull (left) and this is how they spend the winter in cracks and crevices. In Spring they darken (right) and develop bright blue eyes more often in males.
Survival strategy - winter as an adult hidden in crevices. Short lkarval life. Adults dark so as not to stand out in ovipostion as the vegetation at this time of year in almost always last year's dead stems.
Lestes sponsa
In the northern parts of Europe and in UK this is by far the commonest Lestid and extends its range as far as Japan. It is one of very few lestids that inhabits permanent waters; however such areas are usually acid habitats which do not support large fish populations.
In Iberia this is an upland species found as far south as Teruel. It is rather local and endorreic lakes and ponds appear to be its favoured localities. This is the only Lestes species which lays its eggs below the water, pairs often going well beneath the water surface for many minutes. The illustration here shows an andromorph female (with blue pruinescence looking like a male). this seems to be quite common in Iberia but very rare in the rest of Europe
Survival strategy - permanent waters but mainly in acid areas thus avoiding fish populations
In the northern parts of Europe and in UK this is by far the commonest Lestid and extends its range as far as Japan. It is one of very few lestids that inhabits permanent waters; however such areas are usually acid habitats which do not support large fish populations.
In Iberia this is an upland species found as far south as Teruel. It is rather local and endorreic lakes and ponds appear to be its favoured localities. This is the only Lestes species which lays its eggs below the water, pairs often going well beneath the water surface for many minutes. The illustration here shows an andromorph female (with blue pruinescence looking like a male). this seems to be quite common in Iberia but very rare in the rest of Europe
Survival strategy - permanent waters but mainly in acid areas thus avoiding fish populations
Lestes dryas
Similar in appearance to L. sponsa but usually found in quite different habitats. This is a species of temporary wetlands that dry out in late summer. It appears more widely in Iberia than L. sponsa but is always very local in densely vegetated (usually with Juncus or Eleocharis) marshes and lakes.
Like all other Lestes species, L, dryas lays its eggs in vegetation above water level and relies upon the stems falling and allowing the eggs to develop. Andromorph females have never been recorded in this species
Survival strategy - Temporary waters avoiding predators
Lestes barbarus
Similar in appearance to L. sponsa but usually found in quite different habitats. This is a species of temporary wetlands that dry out in late summer. It appears more widely in Iberia than L. sponsa but is always very local in densely vegetated (usually with Juncus or Eleocharis) marshes and lakes.
Like all other Lestes species, L, dryas lays its eggs in vegetation above water level and relies upon the stems falling and allowing the eggs to develop. Andromorph females have never been recorded in this species
Survival strategy - Temporary waters avoiding predators
Lestes barbarus
A large lestid with very little blue pruinescence and found throughout the Peninsula in temporary ponds and endorreic lakes. Like others of the genus this is a summer species found from June onwards as an adult
Survival strategy - temporary waters thus avoiding predators
Survival strategy - temporary waters thus avoiding predators
Lestes virens ssp virens
This beautiful species often occurs with L. barbarus but has a rather curious distribution. On the Coto Donana this is one of the most abundant damselflies and yet in the Camargue in France where the habitat is very similar, it is absent. It is found throughout the Peninsula but apparently much less common in the east. The subspecies L.virens vestalis occurs in France and in northern Europe and differs from the Iberian subspecies in its lack of bi-coloured pterostigma and different thoracic markings.
Survival strategy - temorary waters thus avoiding predators
This beautiful species often occurs with L. barbarus but has a rather curious distribution. On the Coto Donana this is one of the most abundant damselflies and yet in the Camargue in France where the habitat is very similar, it is absent. It is found throughout the Peninsula but apparently much less common in the east. The subspecies L.virens vestalis occurs in France and in northern Europe and differs from the Iberian subspecies in its lack of bi-coloured pterostigma and different thoracic markings.
Survival strategy - temorary waters thus avoiding predators