The procedures used to obtain laboratory mating and oviposition of /. elegans, involving both individuals raised from larvae in captivity and others captured from the wild as imagines, are reported. Egg-clutches laid by 25 2 of known mating histories and 26 2 caught from the wild as adults are described. Observations relating to survival in captivity, intra-specific predation, age at first copulation, copulation duration, oviposition and 2 inter-copulation interval are reported and discussed. Mean copulation duration was greater for non-virgin 2 2 than for virgins (average durations 104 and 78 min, resp.). The number of days a 2 survived after her first copulation was the best predictor of her life-time egg production. This fecundity was not affected by the number of times a 2 copulated. 2 2 were seen to repel many mating attempts, Of 33 2 which mated in captivity, 15 mated more than once, with more than half of these rematings occurring within 4 days of the previous copulation, after fertile eggs had been laid. This demonstrates that at least some 2 2 are willing to remate soon after successful sperm transfer by a previous S, apparently contradicting a previous description of this sp. as monogamous in England.

Odonatologica

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Societas Internationalis Odonatologica

G. Cooper, P.W.H. Holland, & P.L. Miller. (1996). Captive breeding of Ischnura elegans (Vander Linden): observations on longevity, copulation and oviposition (Zygoptera: Coenagrionidae). Odonatologica, 25(3), 261–273.