The slow—fast life style characteristics in a suite of six species of odonate larvae

• 1 The validity of the slow—fast lifestyle dichotomy proposed by Sih (1987) was tested in a suite of six odonate species from a restricted geographical area. Data on activity and microhabitat use were obtained in a laboratory study. Further necessary information on life history, macrohabitat (ephemeral‐permanent) use and vulnerability to fish predation was provided by a literature survey.
• 2 Activity was estimated as number of moves and distance moved for the six odonate larvae. Aeschna juncea, Lestes sponsa and Sympetrum danae were categorised as high‐active species, whereas Coenagrion hastulatum, Cordulia aenea and Leucorhinia dubia were categorised as low‐active species.
• 3 C. hastulatum and L. sponsa exploited microhabitats close to the water surface, C. aenea and L. dubia close to the bottom, and A. juncea and S. danae were intermediate in their water depth utilisation.
• 4 A principal component analysis of the data from the laboratory experiment and the literature survey supported the slow—fast life style dichotomy since the variables activity, macrohabitat use, life cycle length and sensitivity to fish predators were highly correlated.