Initially the male is positioned on the back of the female and both sexes face the same direction. After coupling, the male turns 180 o and faces the opposite direction. Successful genitalic engagement takes from 1.5 to 10 min. There is intense competition among males for females at emergence sites. Hovering males may grasp and attempt to disrupt copulation pairs flying in the vicinity.
Larger males are more successful in disrupting copulating pairs.
It was also observed that the larger females laid more eggs. Marked copulating pairs were collected up to three days after their release. In nature, pairs were never observed to disengage in flight or at night, but termination was observed in the daytime on vegetation. Second matings were observed in the laboratory when a virgin of the opposite sex as provided. Females that mate once usually lay their eggs and die after an average of 68 hours.