Austroargiolestes icteromelus (Tillyard, 1913) COMMON FLATWING Family ARGIOLESTIDAE
The Common Flatwing is a very widespread damselfly. It inhabits streams , rivers and spring fed dams usually where there is plenty of vegetation.
It seems to vary quite a bit in its colouration as well as thoracic patterning. Its pterostigmata are black when mature. I have noticed most Common Flatwings have a pale patch on the clypeus which you can see in the photographs on this page.
I had been aware that even though I had seen plenty of Common Flatwings mating, I had never seen a female laying eggs. Our son Danni and I went for a walk along Sassafras Creek in the Dorrigo National Park. Of course I wanted to go down to the creek to look for dragonflies. Apart for one dragonfly which was too far away to identify and which also disappeared before I could get near, there were only a few Common Flatwings. Danni said there is a dragonfly here doing something strange. It was a female Austroargiolestes icteromelas laying eggs in an old piece of wood at the edge of the creek. It was difficult to see as it blended into the background. I was particularly pleased as it was the last of the four local Austroargiolestes species that I had been wanting to see this behaviour.
