Female perching behaviour in Sympetrum sanguineum (Müller) at feeding places (Anisoptera: Libellulidae)

In field observations and experiments the sequence of occupation of perches by females, occupation duration and changes of perches by individuals at places of feeding were studied. Females defend their perches from conspecific and closely related individuals. Spontaneous locomotor activity is directed towards the apical part of a branch and to higher perch levels. Changes of perch after failure are usually directed to lower perch levels or more basally along the perch. The number of successful attempts is considerably lower after previous failure than during spontaneous attempts. Sitting time increases with high perches. Females occupy distal perches for a longer time than proximal ones. Dragonflies on high perches try to occupy even higher perches more often. Generally on a perch a dragonfly compensates for the slope of a branch by its body posture and indicates perch occupation by wing and/or abdominal displays both after landing on a perch and when other individuals approach. At feeding places a female defends its feeding territory from conspecific individuals of both sexes as well as from individuals of closely related species. In experiments with models has been shown distant sex differentiation by dragonfly females. The behavioural strategy of S. sanguineum females at places of feeding was compared with behaviour of territorial males at the places of pairing.