Protracted oviposition by Hetaerina titia (Drury) (Zygoptera: Calopterygidae)

On I September 1985, while wading in the South Fork of Spring River at a point IO km W Hardy, Sharp Co., AR, United States, I observed a female H. litia("tricolor" type) approximately 5 cm below the water surface. She was ovipositing into the submerged portion of an inclined rotting log, which was in an area of moderate current. I continued to observe her until she emerged approximately 15 min later, at 1100 hrs CDT. She flew away almost immediately. As I passed this same log at 1200 hrs, I noticed a pair of H titia in tandem alighting at the water/ log interface. As the female moved under the water, the male struggled, then disengaged and assumed a perch on an adjacent dead tree branch, approximately 10 cm above the water. The female began to oviposit almost immediately, moving over the submerged part of the log and descending to a maximum depth of 15 cm. On two occasions she approached the water surface, bending the surface film, but it did not appear to break. Ovoposition continued both times, and after a few seconds she moved into deeper She finally emerged at 1400 hrs (120 min after submergence),' sat for four sec, flew to a perch approximately one m away. dried for a few sec, flew another two m, sat for a few min, then flew away.