Wednesday 5 August 2009

Pretty In Pink!

Would you believe there are pink dragonflies? 

Yes, P I N K !  

And not just any pink, but a nice, pleasing, rather attractive pink! 

Here's looking at a pink dragonfly to believe it...

 

 

Actually, the Pocket Guide says the head and body is a brilliant glowing red!  And it has red wing veins.  But does this dragonfly look red to you?  The head, yes.  The wing veins, yes.  But certainly not the rest of him.

 

 

However, when I first saw it from a distance, I did think it was another red dragonfly.  It was only when I got closer that I realised it wasn't exactly red and it just looked different from the other red dragonflies I have seen so far.

Only upon studying the image later that day and with close scrutiny of the wing venation could I confirm that it is the Trithemis aurora of the Libellulidae family.  This dragonfly is common on ponds and lakes and is widespread in tropical Asia.

The males like to perch in the sunlight.  I guess it is the reflection from the sun that gave them a pink colouration.

 

 

I have seen three of these dragonflies on two occasions in two different places now.  The first occasion, it was in a garden with several ponds on one side of Langkawi island and when I saw this dragonfly again next, it was on a grassy pond on the other side of the island. 

The females are light brown with darker markings.  So I am now on a quest to find the females of this species.

 

 

In this picture, the dragonfly was perched near a wall that's been painted mustard yellow.  The contrast shows off the amazingly intricate beauty of the wing venation and the red wing veins of this dragonfly in a very striking manner.

Although pink has never been my favourite colour, how do I not fall in love with these pink dragonflies?

 

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