130 



Smith and Pritchard: Odonata 



Fig. 4:43. Wings of Orthemis ferruginea 

 (Needham and Westfall, 1955). 



The males are conspicuous and swift in flight. 

 They hover near the surface of water or rest briefly 

 on projecting twigs. They challenge all newcomers; 

 when two males meet they face each other, then dart 

 upward together to great heights. 



The females are less in evidence as they rest back 

 from shore except when foraging or ovipositing. When 

 ovipositing over open water they fly horizontally 

 close to the surface and occasionally move the ab- 

 domen down to the water. Among vegetation, they fly 

 up and down as do most Libellulidae. They are most 

 common in the neighborhood of bushes and small trees 

 at the edges of woods. 



The naiads crawl about the trash in the bottom of 

 ponds and transform close to the margin of the water. 

 They occur in static water with mud bottoms such as 

 ponds, borrow pits, or creeks. 



Genus Erythemis Hagen, 1861 



Fig. 4:44. Wings of Libellula incesta 

 (Needham and Westfall, 1955). 



istically, the adults rest on the ground, floating logs 

 or other low objects. They wait for the appearance o 

 suitable food and then dart out to take it. The female 

 unattended by the male, oviposits by touching he 

 abdomen to the surface of the water at widely scat 

 tered points. As the adults age, they change in color 

 For example, Erythemis simplicicollis Say (fig. 4:52 

 is bright green with black when young and then be 

 comes a pruinose blue gray in old age. In some place 

 near the margins of ponds large numbers of thes 

 dragonflies may be found congregating. 



The thick-bodied naiads have bulging green eye 

 and usually occur in static water with a mud bottom 

 Bick (1941) gives details of the life history of £ 

 simvlicicollis . 



Key to California Species 

 Adults 



These are pond species of moderate size. Character- 1. Face green; abdominal appendages yellow (Canads 



Fig. 4:45. Wings of P/othem/s lydia 

 (Needham and Westfall, 1955). 



