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How do female damselflies use an ovipositor to lay eggs in plants?
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Odonata
Male jewelwing damselfly (Calopteryx splendens).
Female damselflies use a bladelike ovipositor to insert their eggs directly into plant tissue. This process often occurs in or near freshwater habitats, where the female may remain submerged for an hour or more to complete the task. During this time, the male—typically the female's last mate—often remains attached to her or hovers nearby to guard her from other males, ensuring that his sperm is the one used to fertilize the eggs.12