Lestes tridens
Face: dark grey above, buff below, and labrum bluish grey. Head above, dark grey in front and light grey behind.
Eyes: sky blue above, light greyish blue below.
Prothorax: dark grey, bordered with pruinescence.
Synthorax: above, metallic green in young male, darkening to grey and blue in mature individuals. Synthoracic sides, pruinescent pale grey with dark grey elongated spots or flecks. Area between wing bases highly pruinescent with dark flecks.
Wings: clear, slightly smoky in old individuals.
Pterostigmas: dark greyish brown.
Abdomen: S2-8 and half of S9, dark grey above, with partial yellowish rings. Distinct blackish brown, fine rings at each segment boundary. Second half of S9, and all S10 pruinescent light grey. Superior appendages distinctly whitish, with black bases and tips.
Female: light brown, thorax speckled with dark brown spots.
.
Small to medium, greyish green to greyish blue, with wavy 'oak leaf' dorsal band and dark spots and speckles. Pools and dams with grassy margins inwarmer parts of SA.
.
Hangs inactively from grass stems or twigs over water. Female often with male.
.
This small Lestes species is like a slightly greenish and speckled L. pallidus, although that species has a weakly striped, not spotted, thorax. The whitish appendages of L. tridens and its wavy, grey back are clear in the field. Its superior appendages
are also characteristic with three teeth, while the inferiors have a unique tufted spine.
.
Localised, mostly below 200 m a.s.l. on N of KZNP coast. Also MP lowveld, and LP. To E andWAfrica.
Flight period: Nov-May
.
Grassy and bushy margins of pools, dams and waterholes in hot areas.
.