138 



Smith and p ritchard: Odonata 



4:61. Wings of Zygoptera. o, Hetaerina americona; fa, Lestes 

 vigilax; c, Argi'o apicalis (Walker, 1953). 



Family LESTIDAE 



The members of this family are large elongate, clear- 

 winged damselflies. Their flight is not swift, and they 

 are easily captured. The naiads are slender, climbing 

 forms in still water (fig. 4:65). 



Key to Neorctic Genera 



Adults 



1. Vein M 2 originating about 1 cell beyond nodus (fig. 



4:63) Archilestes 



— Vein M 2 originating several cells beyond nodus (fig. 

 4:616) Lestes 



Naiads 



1. Trifid lateral lobe of labium with upper notch simple 

 (fig. 4:656) Archilestes 



Fig. 4:62, Ventral view of male abdominal appendages of Archi- 

 lestes. a, ca/i'forni'ca; fa, grandis (Celeste Green). 



— Trifid lateral lobe of labium with serrated border within 

 upper notch (fig. 4:696) Lestes 



Genus Archilestes Selys, 1862 



These are large damselflies with rather stout bodies 

 and broad wings. Archilestes grandis (Rambur) is our 

 largest damselfly (fig. 4:63). The naiads crawl over 

 vegetation in still water (fig. 4:65). Archilestes is a 

 fall form and becomes abundant as the common summer 

 species are disappearing. 



Adults commonly hang on the leaves and stems on 

 the sunny sides of willows and alders. They fly about 

 six to ten feet from such resting spots to take prey, 

 and then return to the same spot. They do not fly 

 more than twenty to thirty feet at a time, but when 

 disturbed they dart into the densest part of the bush. 



The eggs are laid in woody stems of willows and 

 alders high above the water (fig. 4:64). Kennedy 

 (1915) has described the mating and oviposition of 

 Archilestes calif arnica MacLachlan as follows: 



"In capturing the female, the male flies toward 



Fig. 4:63. Archi/esfes grandis, male (Kennedy, 1915). 



