Hangs from tall grass stems, sometimes in large numbers, for example at trout dams in KZNP Midlands.Mating pairs common.
Medium to fairly large, and highly variable in colour, although distinctly striped. Widespread at upland or montane pools, dams and sluggish reaches of rivers where there are margins of tall grass.
At Umtamvuna almost to sea level. Elsewhere, mostly 700- 1400 m a.s.l. throughout all SA, but rare inWCP. To E andWAfrica.
Flight period: Nov-May, with occasional
individuals July-Oc
Face: dark grey, but labrum greenish blue. Head above dark grey, merging into blue, and finally to deep yellow on occiput.
Eyes: bright sky blue above, greyish green below.
Prothorax: yellow anteriorly, then dark grey with heavy pruinescence posteriorly.
Synthorax: strongly striped dark grey, straw yellow and some blue, with pruinescence below. Area between wing bases heavily
pruinescent.
Wings: clear, becoming slightly smoky in old individuals.
Pterostigmas: dark brown.
Abdomen: metallic green, becoming bluish grey with age. S9-10 pruinescent whitish grey. This species varies much with age. Bright metallic green when young, then becoming dull metallic green. Old individuals are dark greyish blue with much pruinescence.
Female: mostly brown and green. Eyes with trace of blue but browner than male. Thorax strongly striped light and dark brown, with thin metallic stripe on side. Abdomen mostly dull metallic green.
Grassy and bushy borders of dams, pools and sluggish reaches of rivers away from the coast.
Lestes plagiatus is by far the most common and widespread SA Lestes species. Above 700 m a.s.l., it is the only large, striped Lestes species. Old L. plagiatus can be confused with Chlorolestes tessellatus, although, as well as different wing venation, L.plagiatus has blue eyes, not green as in C. tessellatus. L. plagiatus appendages are characteristic, with a distinct angle in side view, and a strong inside tooth when seen from above. L. pallidus, is the only other striped SA Lestes species but is smaller, and is mostly in coastal, hot northern areas. The appendages of L. pallidus are straight in side view.
Lestes regulatus is a species of spreadwing in the damselfly family Lestidae. [1][2]
Lestes regulatus is a species of spreadwing in the damselfly family Lestidae.
