FEMALE OF THE SPECIES

Love is a battlefield for damselflies in distress

- Lucy Cooke

MAY IS MY FAVOURITE month in Britain. The countryside is bursting with fecundity as M animals seek out partners to foster a new generation. As humans we like to think of these unions as romantic, but the truth is many are shaped by conflict. When males and females harbour warring mating strategies, evolution becomes an arms race, with genitals on the front line.

The humble damselfly is a great example. In many species, females choose to mate with multiple males to find the best genetic fit for their eggs through internal sperm competition. Males would, of course, prefer their sperm to have no competition at all. So, their counterstrategy is to try and eradicate their rivals, and place their sperm in pole fertilising position.