These photos document the first occurrence of California Spreadwing Archilestes californicus for Texas, found by Susan May at Sibley Nature Center, Midland, Midland county, Texas, first on June 26 and again on July 7 and 8, 2015.
There is a population of this taxon where Mexico, New Mexico, and Arizona meet, which is isolated from the main range to the west, but this is an unexpected species for Texas. It is possible that this individual is the result of accidental introduction; here is what Dennis Paulson told me:
"...their [California Spreadwing] oviposition only into tree and shrub branches, probably same with Archilestes grandis. Thus small trees at a nursery with a pond could be recipients of damselfly eggs that are then carried elsewhere when the trees are installed. The eggs overwinter in the branches, thus a long period during which this could happen. Most odonates oviposit into herbaceous vegetation, less likely to be transported elsewhere and for the most part in the vegetation for a shorter duration. However, any odonate that has endophytic oviposition in a nursery wetland could have this happen, so water lilies, sedges, etc., that are sold by aquatic nurseries could contribute to odonate distribution."
Susan plans to monitor the situation, and to check with local nurseries; she has already confirmed that the adjacent golf course has not had any planting of aquatic trees around their ponds in the recent past.
Habitat at one end of a small pond in an area of mesquite scrub; also present were Plateau Spreadwing, Flame Skimmer, Plains Forktail, among more widespread species:
