182: Orolestes selysi McLachlan, 1895

Number: 182 / Family: Lestidae / Genus: Orolestes    

Species: Orolestes selysi / Large Dark-banded Spreadwing*   

Habitat: Forested Ponds    

Province(s) sighted: Chaiyaphum

In flight: July-August / Sightings (by me): Rare 

Species easily confused with: Oroletes octomaculata

*As it didn't have a common name, I based the name on the Thai name 'Large Dark-banded' and the common name for Lestidae 'Spreadwings', so the 'Large Dark-banded Spreadwing'.

There are times when you have to question all those hours of your life spent being torn to shreds by nasty bushes, wading through treacle-like mud, waste deep in putrid water, bitten to death by leeches, mosquitoes and horseflies, as well as those long, arduous and expensive journeys. There are other times when it makes the bad times simply melt away. And last Saturday was one of them. I finally managed to see the fabled Orolestes selysi - a stunning damselfly that was the stuff of legends as many of the rarer species at Phu Khieo (and the rest of NE Thailand) seem to be. Though it is found in several countries, it seems to be a very rare species in Thailand. When, after all this time, I managed to spot one dangling from a tree overhanging a gloomy and temporary pond I was over the moon. Amazingly, like buses, I then noticed another and another. In fact, I saw three at this pond and two single specimens at other ponds. It must simply be a good year for them. Another thing of note was the fact that Orolestes octomaculata was also very much present (I am confident this species is around all year now) and they co-habit ... I was amazed to spot a male of each species on a branch, but was just too late to get a shot. The question is now whether there are hyaline specimens here too. According to Noppadon Makbun (the man who had said it was reported from Phu Khieo and encouraged me to find it), it is only known from this location in Thailand... hopefully it will be found again soon at a different location. Until then, I can now sleep happily, safe in the knowledge that I have photos of another rare species in Thailand. Roll on next weekend for more torture to my body for moments of true joy! Since then, I have seen this species a few times over the years, though still not common at all.

Here is the incredibly rare hyaline male. It can be separated by the dorsal blue streak around S3-4 of the abdomen. I managed to spot two males at a small pond and one shot each and they made a dash for the top of the tree canopy. Until next year, my friend, when I will get improvement shots!

Courtship Behaviour

This is my only shot of a female so far. Though obscured in the picture, the blue streak on S3-4 on the hyaline male was clear in the field. Identical courtship behaviour as its cousin. The female is gouging out holes in the bark and inserting eggs, while the male is guarding.

124: Orolestes octomaculatus (Martin, 1902)

Number: 124 / Family: Lestidae / Genus: Orolestes

Species: Orolestes octomaculatus / Large Eight-spotted Spreadwing*

Habitat: Forested Ponds (Mostly lowlands)
Province(s) sighted: Chaiyaphum, Khon Kaen, Nakhon Nayok, Petchabun, Udon Thani

Sightings (by me): Common
In flight (that I have seen): Year-round

*As it didn't have a common name, I based the name on the Thai name 'Large Eight-spotted' and the common name for Lestidae 'Spreadwings', so the 'Large Eight-spotted Spreadwing'.

A spreadwing that is widespread (that's a mouthful!), and quite common and had eluded me until now, is Orolestes octomaculatus, now known as the Large Eight-spotted Spreadwing. I saw a male for the first time on June 11, 2011. However, today (June 18, 2011) I returned to find the female. Where I had seen three males at Tad Fah Waterfall, this time there was only one and I thought my luck was out. So I decided to visit Phu Wiang National Park itself about 20 kms away from the waterfall. About 300 metres inside the entrance there was a tiny and muddy clay pool to my left with a few bushes and trees overhanging and I thought I may as well have a look, seeing as though I was there already. To my amazement, there were around 20 male O. octomaculatus resting out of the sun under the leaves of a small tree. I managed to improve my photos from the previous week (though it took a long time as they fly high up into the tree the moment you even breathe) and then tried to take even more shots (sometimes I'll take hundreds of photos of the same individual just to make sure it's OK). As I was about to shoot again, I noticed something above it on the same branch... I took a photo just to see what it was and it turned out to be a female! Yet, it was in the strangest position I have ever seen. Watching her for about 20 minutes, I discovered she was ovipositing into the bark of the tree that overhung the pond. Since then, I have seen this species many times at numerous different locations and it appears to be around the whole year.

The Male

It is easy to distinguish because of its beautiful wings, blue/green eyes and S9-10 are bright blue and it has large claspers. It is also large for a damselfly.

Here's looking at you ... 

The 'Hyaline' Male

A small number of males never develop black spots on their wings (and young males too) and are known as hyaline specimens. This is not commonly seen.

The 'Young' Male

This is a very young male...

...and this one has literally just emerged...

The Female
The female is fairly dull in comparison, but she does have a blue dorsal patch at the end of the abdomen.

This female is ovipositing into a branch. Something I see quite a lot with this species.

And here is another...

The 'Teneral' Female

You rarely see then at this stage but then suddenly they will emerge en masse.

Another emergence very early and still attached to her exuvia. Don't know why but this is right up their for favourite shots. I captured this well in the early morning light, even if I may say so myself.

The Copula

It took me a long time to get this and it is rarely seem! I was very happy with it, but somehow I much prefer the shot after where they are both resting momentarily. There is just something about this I love.

The Tandem

The Courtship/Mating Behaviour

Here, I just managed to get a blurry photo as the male grabs a female.

He now has her firmly.

Let the mating begin...

Once split, she starts to use her ovipositor to gouge out small holes in the branches and lay single eggs into each hole... all the while, the male is guarding his prize.

A second male appeared, and shortly (off camera, the first male attacks the second and it disappears.