#austrolestes

AKA in Māori as kekewai. Originially described as Agrion colensonis in 1846. In 1862 it got moved to Lestes, and 1913 to Austrolestes.

Aotearoa's largest damselfly, and the only blue one, although the females and younger males are iridescent green.

Eggs may hatch in the season they're laid in, or overwinter to hatch the following spring. They take two years to reach adulthood, and the adults have an unusual thermoregulation ability for an insect - they can darken their colouration to better absorb infrared in the mornings.

Austrolestes leda

10-FEB-2023

A largeish Lestid damselfly, native to Eastern Australia, where it breeds in still or slow-moving water. That probably rules out the creek where I found it, actually, since that was flowing at a good pace.

Huh - there’s a thing. Turns out I’ve never actually done a TIGTIDAW post about A. analis before. I’m a bit surprised - I know I’ve photographed them before - although, to be far, this is the first time I’ve got actually worthy photos of one.

A. analis can be distinguished from other black and tan local damselflies by the mostly black head - no pale marks behind the eyes - and by the shape of the narrow bands on the thorax.

The species -found across all of Southern Australian, and Tasmania, was first described by French entomolgist Jules Pierre Rambur in 1862, and is usually seen in Spring, Summer, and Autumn near lakes, slow flowing rivers and adjacent vegetation. So what this lady was doing on top of a hill is anybody’s guess. Although, to be fair, it was near Water Corp property. Active at twilight, which is a little unusual for damselflies.

I was trying to sneak up on a small bee when it flew off - and was promptly replaced by a damselfly (Slender Ringtail, Austrolestes analis, female) apparently chowing down on the very same insect. I'm not sure though - her meal is already rather mangled.

Blue Ringtail, Austrolestes annulosus immature male.