Finally!

After all these weeks, I did finally get out there and I have had a great field day... with dragonflies! 

And damselflies and a few other insects too.

There's so much to put down in writing and so many photos to share and talk about but it can't all happen at once.  So I'll have to start from the beginning and one at a time...

When I got to the first pond for the day, there were lots of dragonflies buzzing around over the water and as many dragonflies were perched on the grasses at the edge of the pond.  What a sight!

How I have missed them!

A lot of these dragonflies were of the Neurothemis spp, both N. fluctuans and N. fulvia, and they were most easily spotted due to their coloured wings.  And there were plenty of them!  There were also quite a number of red dragonflies around and a few of the other species too.

And it was both amusing and fascinating to watch the males of these species face off on their territorial fights.

It was a hot day and perhaps a bit too bright for photography.  Nevertheless, these are some of the pics I took today...

 

Neurothemis fulvia

 

Neurothemis fluctuans

 

Crocothemis servilia

 

Brachydiplax chalybea

 

Rhyothemis phyllis

 

Urothemis signata

 

And I would have to wait till another day and time to tell the next part of the story...

 

 

Which Blue Dragonfly?

This is another blue or bluish dragonfly that had me confused for a bit.  I had initially thought that it was the Brachydiplax chalybea because I had seen one in this area just a few minutes earlier.

However, this particular dragonfly was much smaller in size, so it prompted me to take a few photos to check it out further.

 

 

As it turned out, this is actually the Aethriamanta gracilis of the family Libellulidae.  Other than its small size, with hindwing length of 22mm, the other feature that differentiates it is the more open venation on its wings.  This species can be found in weedy ponds, it is local and generally uncommon though it is widespread in Sundaland.

I had managed to get only two photos before it darted off and I have not seen it again since.

Rats!

 

 

Libellulidae - Brachydiplax farinosa

The Brachydiplax Brothers!

 

Spotted this small dragonfly a while ago.  It was perched on a grass blade at the edge of the pond and it sat there so still it could have blended in rather well with its surroundings but for that bit of light blue-whitish marking on its abdomen that caught my attention.

 

 

This dragonfly is the Brachydiplax farinosa of the family Libellulidae.  The male has hindwing length of 23-25mm and its looks are rather similar to the Brachydiplax chalybea except that the base of its hindwings are clear.  Also, the combination of blue and black on its abdomen is about half-and-half whereas there is a bit more blue on the abdomen of the B. chalybea.

Here's a look at both these species for comparison:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

              

 

On the left is the Brachydiplax chalybea while the Brachydiplax farinosa is on the right.

Almost twins!

 

 

Libellulidae - Brachydiplax chalybea

Blue And Brown

I used to see quite a number of this dragonfly species buzzing around some months ago but of late, I have not been noticing them.  Perhaps it is because I have been looking out for other species instead?  Or perhaps there is less of them out and about during the current hot and dry season?

 

 

Anyway, this is the Brachydiplax chalybea of the family Libellulidae.  It is a small to medium sized dragonfly with hindwing length of 23-26mm.  The male of this species is mostly bluish with a rather strong yellow tint at the base of its hindwings whereas the female is brown and the hindwing base is clear.  The tip of the abdomen is dark for both male and female.

 

 

I wonder if this species could perhaps be migratory? 

And I wonder where have they gone?