Behavioral ecology of the tropical damselfly Hetaerina macropus Selys (Zygoptera: Calopterygidae)

Individual male and female H. macropus moved only short distances from day to day along a stream near Cali, Colombia.The distributions of the two sexes along the stream were different and teneral males had a more nearly male than female distribution. Mature males tended to perch lower than either females or teneral males; and mature males which perched low were more active in presumably sex-related activities such as chasing and circle flights than those which perched relatively high. Both males and females, especially newly emerged individuals, spent time away from the immediate vicinity of the stream. There was a relatively high rate of individual turnover along the creek during the day even though total numbers remained relatively constant. Mating and oviposition behavior were somewhat variable, but conformed to the general pattern for the genus.