Life histories of three species of Lestidae in North Carolina, United States (Zygoptera)

The life histories of Lestes vigilax Hagen, L. disjunctus australis Walker, and Archilestes grandis (Rambur), were studied in small, artificial ponds in western North Carolina. All three species were univoltine, but there were pronounced differences in their life cycles. L. vigilax overwintered as larvae in the F-3 and smaller instars, and emerged from late June to early August. The emergence consisted of larvae that hatched following a short egg stage the previous summer, overwintered, and emerged approximately one year after hatching. L. disjunctus apparently passed the winter in the egg, and hatching occurred the following spring. Larval development was completed in about two months, and emergence occurred from late July to early September. The larval development of A. grandis was similar to that of L. disjunctus, and emergence occurred from about mid-August to late September. A. grandis overwintered either in the egg stage or in very early larval instars. The emergence periods of all three species were temporally separated to a degree, a factor that is probably important in reducing competition in areas of coexistence.