Libellulidae - Diplacodes nebulosa

Another Blue Dragonfly With Dark Wing Tips

This is another blue dragonfly with dark wing tips, a rather similar description as for the Cratilla metallica, but this dragonfly is much smaller in size and it is also of a lighter blue.

It is the Diplacodes nebulosa of the family Libellulidae and the male has hindwing length of only 19 mm.  According to the Pocket Guide, this species is widespread in tropical Asia.

I had come across this dragonfly for the first time in February-March 2010, over a year ago now, and have not seen it again since.  Perhaps because I have not been looking out for it in particular.

It would be nice to spot it again one of these days...

Is This Another 'Tick' In The Checklist? .....I Guess Not...

Finding this dragonfly was an unexpected surprise.  It was quite by chance and was really a lucky strike.

This dragonfly may have perched there undisturbed for a while as it was a quiet day due to the rain and there wasn't anyone around.  As such, it would not have been expecting any intrusion to its daydreaming.  When I walked by and surprised it, it took off so suddenly only to hit a wall, drop to the floor then take off again to land on another wall.

I was quite as surprised to see a small, dark insect shoot off from nowhere, crash, bounce, drop, then zap off, all in a matter of split seconds.  You only get that in the cartoons!  And I can just imagine the whole scene again with all the sound effects!

Anyway, when I realised it was a dragonfly, I scrambled for my camera and got two shots before it flew off into the blue and disappeared.

Although not the best photo, it is probably sufficient to enable identification.

 

 

This dragonfly could be the Chalybeothemis fluviatilis of the family Libellulidae.  The Pocket Guide describes it as follows: a small, dark dragonfly with unmarked body, brownish basal patch on its hindwing, hindwing length of 21 mm, and is uncommon in Peninsular Malaysia and Borneo.

I still have some doubts with its identification and have thought that I could be wrong and it is the Diplacodes trivialis.  Having made comparisons, this dragonfly has a very thin, almost straight and unmarked abdomen.  And yet... I do think it could be correct except that its appendages are light coloured.

This urbanised area is not its habitat though.  Perhaps this dragonfly had gotten confused and lost in this urban jungle?

I am a bit confused too.

 

UPDATE:  As confirmed by our odonatologist of Malaysia, Dragonflyman, it is the Diplacodes trivialis after all in the above photo, one that's aged, which explains the dark colouring. 

See further identification/comparison features in his comments.

 

 

All Abuzz

 

There were dozens of the Diplacodes trivialis in the padi fields this morning.  And I really mean dozens!  As I walked along the bunds cutting through the fields, with almost every step I take, I would send a whole lot of them fluttering around to seek new perches.

 

 

A number of male dragonflies also kept busy engaging in aerial fights to chase away other males of the same species from their respective territories.

I took in the whole sight with a happy heart.  I have not seen so many of these dragonflies buzzing around in a while.  It was cloudy this morning... and in some places in Langkawi, there have been a bit of rain here and there in the evenings though it's been weeks since then.  Perhaps this is indicative of a change in weather patterns?  Perhaps that could explain the abundance of these dragonflies and all the activities? 

It was just the usual suspects up and about this morning.  The other species I spotted were Orthetrum sabina, Crocothemis servilia, Acisoma panorpoides, Brachythemis contaminata, Ischnura senegalensis, Pseudagrion microcephalum and Agriocnemis femina.  Yes, just a few species but there were lots of the Diplacodes trivialis everywhere, which made up for everything.

Anyway, one thing you can count on most days of the year is the Ischnura senegalensis.  Here's a photo of the male and 'andromorph' female in wheel position.

 

 

Apart from the dragonflies, it was also a morning for birds...

 

Little Egret - when breeding, it has long nape-, back- and breast plumes.  The nape plume can be seen in this photo below.

 

Chinese Pond Heron (I've just realised I took photos of the Chinese Pond Heron this same date last year...)

 

Baya Weaver

 

White-rumped Munia

 

Scaly-breasted Munia

 

 

Diplacodes trivialis In Wheel And Ovipositing

Came across this pair of Diplacodes trivialis in wheel recently.

 

 

I couldn't get any closer for more photos as they kept flying away. 

Anyway, once the copulation was complete, the female flew over to a grassy patch on the pond and oviposited here eggs there on her own.  The male was nowhere to be seen at that time.

 

 

I hope to get more photos of this species in wheel one of these days.

 

 

Catch Of The Day!

Everything was still and quiet at the pond when I got there this morning but as soon as the sun breaks through over the hills, the surroundings came alive.

A sudden movement among the grasses caught my attention. 

It was a dragonfly that had gotten itself caught in a spider's web and was struggling frantically to get away.  The spider was very quick to start spinning its silk rapidly around one of the dragonfly's wings to subdue it.

 

 

At first, the dragonfly struggled and tried to fly and it kept trying to break free, but the spider's hold on it was strong.  The spider held on to the wing and kept spinning its silk around it relentlessly until it was certain the dragonfly would not be going anywhere.  After a while, having expended its energy, the dragonfly gave up and accepted its fate. 

 

 

It was a young, immature Diplacodes trivialis that had fallen prey to the spider.  It will not see the next day-break but the spider is now assured of a meal and its continued existence.

 

 

Libellulidae - Diplacodes trivialis

Water, Water, Water... Everywhere... Still

 

It has finally stopped raining.  Thus, I went out early in the morning for some fresh air.  After a night of rain, we would usually be awarded a nice, clear, crisp morning with clear blue skies.  But there were still some dark clouds hovering around.

The day looks promising, yet I was not exactly convinced.  However, after a while, the sun did finally break through the clouds and show its face! 

The good Sol!

 

 

There has been so much rain this past week and especially in the last two days that some low-lying areas and some roads are flooded.  Even the padi fields have become large areas of water.  That's right.  In both the above pictures, that big "lake" is actually padi fields that's been inundated with flood waters.

And this farmer's home that stands in the midst of the padi fields is now stranded in the middle of a 'lake'.

 

 

As I walked, one of the first dragonflies I saw this morning was the Diplacodes trivialis, who took advantage of the early morning sun to come out and bask, to dry its wings.

 

 

A Common Green Frog was also out of the water and enjoying the new day...

 

 

For now, the sun is certainly out with a vengeance.....

 

A Blue Dragonfly

In the world of Odonata, more often than not, the males are more colourful and brighter than the females.  And in a lot of cases, the females are of a paler, lighter colouring than the males...

I have mentioned a few red dragonflies before and even the pink dragonfly... they are all the males of their respective species.

So now, here's a young, almost mature male of the Diplacodes trivialis.  The mature male has blue colouring.  A pruinose blue...

 

 

As you can see here, this young half-mature male still has some of the yellow markings of an immature male and shiny wings that will eventually thicken with maturity.  The immature male is shown in an earlier entry titled A Tiny Visitor.

Another half-mature male found at a different location...

 

 

Once he has developed the full colours of a mature male, he can stake out his territory and lie in wait for the female, which is what this guy here is doing...

 

 

And here's another adult male dragonfly watching over his territory...

 

 

That's the life of the dragonfly...

 

A Tiny Visitor

On one of the days when I thought I would be stuck 'indoors' with work and would not have the chance for any jaunts in the outdoors, I had a visitor instead.  I was tending to some potted plants in the morning when this tiny dragonfly came by and perched on a basil leave right next to me.

You can imagine my surprise!  This is like, "Wow!"
I have only just ventured into the world of dragonflies and damselflies and as yet, have not seen such a tiny dragonfly before.  Damselflies, yes.  But a dragonfly this small?  The basil leave gives you a good comparison for size!


I stared at him and he stared back at me!  He seemed totally unfazed by me being so close to him.  After having had a good look to commit it to memory in case he flies off, I ran in, grabbed my camera and was certainly glad he was still resting there now that I am ready for his poses.

It looks like he had just had a morning meal, maybe?  And there is some leftover grub on his white face?  Or maybe it is just some dirt?  Still, he looked totally grand!  Later, he did clean up and did some grooming...


This is an immature male of the Diplacodes trivialis.  The hindwing length of the Diplacodes trivialis is 23mm.  It is of the family Libellulidae and is common in tropical Asia.  The adult male is a pruinose blue while the immature male has pale yellow markings.  The female is similar in markings to the immature male. 
The only way to tell the difference in gender is by looking at the abdomen.  The male bears accessory genitalia on the underside of the second segment (S2) and from the last segment (S10) would emerge anal appendages that differ from the female.

I remained there for a while, fascinated by this unexpected visitor.  After some time, I went back to my own work giving him the chance to stare at me for a change.

Little things do make big impacts!  And this tiny dragonfly has certainly made my day!