Thanks Molly. That wraps it up for me.

I should point out that, strictly speaking, a fully-winged insect other than a mayfly is always an "adult"--and that a fully-winged mayfly is never more than one instar from being an adult. Thus the immature female in Molly Jacobson's comment is actually an adult--though it may be "immature" insofar as being a newly-emerged adult.

An immature insect is usually a nymph, larva or naiad--the latter of which is what damselflies' immatures are. Those creatures look more or less like this: .

Hi Peter,

Thanks for your comments. I am therefore puzzled by the 'teneral' state which often describes a fully-winged Odonata that has recently emerged from its nymph state. Is this term not also used in other insect species?

Nigel

You're welcome. "Teneral" is, as far as I know, used for all other species--or at least those that possess a hard integument. It describes exactly what you mention--a recently-emerged individual (usually an adult) whose integument hasn't yet hardened and, in many cases, hasn't yet assumed its final coloration.

I commented upon the use of the word "immature" simply to point out that, according to my understanding, the use of that word in technical circles is limited to non-adults--even though teneral adults might be "immature" insofar as being less than fully developed.

Thanks Peter. Knowledge is empowerment! :o)