Repeated copulations in Libellula quadrimaculata (Odonata: Libellulidae)

Libellulidae generally adopt a promiscuous reproductive strategy. Males and females mate several times and with several partners during their lives. The males attempt to copulate with as many females as possible, encourage them to lay eggs in their territories and deny rivals access to their females. On the other hand, the females seek to lay as many eggs as possible with good paternal genes in optimal habitats. The behaviour exhibited by both sexes appears to maximise lifetime reproductive success. In this study, we investigated the mating and guarding behaviour of Libellula quadrimaculata in small bog ponds. We focused on repeated extrapair and especially intrapair copulations at a given site as well as non-contact guarding when there was little interference by rival males. It was noticed that females were pursued by their partner after egg laying and when attempting to leave the water. Either they mated again, or the male tried to steer his partner back to the water. Two to six additional matings between oviposition bouts occurred during each encounter. A total of 54 intrapair copulations with subsequent oviposition were recorded. Attempts by a male to guide his mate back to his territory and encourage her to continue laying eggs were successful in 33 cases, while in 64 cases the female escaped. Thus, repeated copulations and retrievals are tactics used by a male to maximise laying of eggs he has fertilised by the female with whom he last mated. The costs and benefits of this behaviour are discussed from the perspective of both males and females.