Patrolling and dispersal flight patterns of males of Cordulegaster boltonii (Odonata: Cordulegastridae) 00

Abstract

The spatial ecology of stream-dwelling Odonata is traditionally assumed to involve strict territoriality and negative density-dependent dispersal. This study challenges these paradigms by investigating the spatial dynamics of the Golden-ringed Dragonfly (Cordulegaster boltonii). A two-year mark-release-recapture study (2010–2011) in the Czech Republic tracked mature males across three forest-separated creeks. Over 790 males were marked (> 20% recapture rate), revealing a density of 40–50 males/km. While 93% remained within their natal catchment with mean patrolling corridors of ~ 500 m, 7.1% undertook long-distance inter-catchment flights up to 4.8 km across the terrestrial matrix. This frequent inter-catchment dispersal indicates that catchment populations function as interconnected metapopulation. Notably, males exhibited positive density dependence (conspecific attraction), abandoning low-density patches to aggregate at hotspots. Strict territoriality was absent; instead, males engaged in scramble competition via non-aggressive, temporally spaced communal patrolling ("suitors trains") to intercept females. These findings demonstrate behavioural plasticity in C. boltonii, replacing costly territorial defence with continuous patrolling.

Keywords. Anisoptera, density dependence, dispersal, home range, metapopulation, spatial ecology

Issue section: Original Article