Saturday 13 February 2010

It's Quite Golden!

I had been out walking along this trail since morning. 

By noon, I was ready to find a spot to rest and sit down for my lunch when I saw this dragonfly that was a nice golden yellow colour.  With my untrained eye, it would have been easy for me to brush it off as the female of the Crocothemis servilia but the colour was really just different, it also looked very attractive and seemed slightly larger.  When I had another good look at it, I noticed the shape of its hindwings were different too.

That was when I realised I had chanced upon another species.

 

 

This golden yellow dragonfly is the Pantala flavescens of the family Libellulidae.  It is a female.  The male would have dark tips on its hindwings and the colour would be more brown-orangey though it is variable depending on maturity.  This species can be found almost everywhere in open country. 

According to the Pocket Guide, this species is migratory, often present in large swarms.  I had found only this one individual and managed to take two shots before it flew off.

I wonder if I will find it again?

 

 

No comments:

Post a Comment