Deceptive Widow (Palpopleura deceptor)

Cover photo by Gregg Darling.

Find this species in the FBIS database (Freshwater Biodiversity Information System) here.

Family Libellulidae

Identification

Small size

Length up to 32mm; Wingspan attains 55mm.

Male Deceptive Widows could be confused with African Piedspot (Hemistigma albipunctum) or the Eastern Blacktail (Nesciothemis farinosa). Deceptive Widow males are much smaller and have a different body shape to the aforementioned species. They are best recognised by their striking, neon white abdomens, streaked forewings and bi-coloured pterostigmas.

Females can be mistaken for other Palpopleura females. They can be recognised by the dark markings on their wings being restricted to the leading edges.

Click here for more details on identification.

Habitat

The Deceptive Widow is a species of hot bushveld country where it occupies pans, ponds, marshes and dams. The Deceptive Widow inhabits standing water with a rich growth of emergent grass, sedges and other aquatic plants such as waterlilies. It favours clear, shallow water.

Behaviour

Despite their small size, male Deceptive Widows are very conspicuous with their eye-catching neon-white abdomens. Males perch prominently on grass and other plant stems over the water. They make short fast flights to catch prey or to chase off rivals before quickly returning to a perch. Females spend most of their time away from the water and are seldom seen.

Status and Conservation

The Deceptive Widow is an uncommon and localised species. It is listed as of Least Concern in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Palpopleura deceptor is moderately sensitive to habitat degradation, but does occur at some man made sites offering suitable habitat.

Distribution

Palpopleura deceptor is widely, but sparsely distributed throughout most of Sub-Saharan Africa. In South Africa, the Deceptive Widow is mostly found in the northern Provinces, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Gauteng, North West, and north-eastern KwaZulu-Natal.

Below is a map showing the distribution of records in South Africa for the Deceptive Widow. Taken from the OdonataMAP database as at February 2020.

Below is a map showing the distribution of records in South Africa for the Deceptive Widow. Taken from the OdonataMAP database as of December 2024.

The next map below is an imputed map, produced by an interpolation algorithm, which attempts to generate a full distribution map from the partial information in the map above. This map will be improved by the submission of records to the OdonataMAP section of the Virtual Museum.

Ultimately, we will produce a series of maps for all the odonata species in the region. The current algorithm is a new algorithm. The objective is mainly to produce “smoothed” maps that could go into a field guide for odonata. This basic version of the algorithm (as mapped above) does not make use of “explanatory variables” (e.g. altitude, terrain roughness, presence of freshwater — we will be producing maps that take these variables into account soon). Currently, it only makes use of the OdonataMAP records for the species being mapped, as well as all the other records of all other species. The basic maps are “optimistic” and will generally show ranges to be larger than what they probably are.

These maps use the data in the OdonataMAP section of the Virtual Museum, and also the database assembled by the previous JRS funded project, which was led by Professor Michael Samways and Dr KD Dijkstra.

Further Resources

The use of photographs by Gregg Darling is acknowledged. Other photographs by Ryan Tippett.

Deceptive Widow Palpopleura deceptor (Calvert, 1899)

Other common names: Valse Weetjie (Afrikaans)

Recommended citation format: Loftie-Eaton M; Navarro R; Tippett RM; Underhill L. 2025. Deceptive Widow Palpopleura deceptori. Biodiversity and Development Institute. Available online at https://thebdi.org/2020/05/13/deceptive-widow-palpopleura-deceptor/

References: Tarboton, M; Tarboton, W. (2019). A Guide to the Dragonflies & Damselflies of South Africa. Struik Nature.

Samways, MJ. (2008). Dragonflies and Damselflies of South Africa. Pensoft

Samways, MJ. (2016). Manual of Freshwater Assessment for South Africa: Dragonfly Biotic Index. Suricata 2. South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria

Martens, A; Suhling, F. (2007). Dragonflies and Damselflies of Namibia. Gamsberg Macmillan.

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