Lestidae

Family Lestidae or Reedlings

Indolestes cyaneus 

(Selys, 1862)

Elevation 1000 to 3300m

Abdomen 32-36mm

Indolestes are called Reedlings because that is where they are found, sitting in reed beds next to lakes and ponds. Locations are from Jammu-Kashmir, Punjab, Darjeeling, Bhutan, and China. I. cyaneus is found at higher elevations in mountain wetlands over 2000m. They are hard to spot being very slender but the blue color is attractive to the eye. As juveniles, they are almost the same color as dry grass and very difficult to spot. They breed in early June and again in early October.

Male

Mating

Lestes p. praemorsus

Selys, 1862

Elevation 700 to 1500m

Abdomen 32-35mm

Usually, they are found clinging to the grass close to the edges of small lakes or along canals. At first glance, the dark sapphire blue eyes are easily spotted then the metallic blue thorax and a long slender abdomen. The paired ruffle of markings on the dorsum of the thorax and the pale yellowish tipped with black anal appendages are important for identification. They are seen before the monsoon from April to June. I saw them at a small lake near Pokhara called Dipang Taal in April 2019 and on a small fish pond in the Godavari area in August 2019.

Male