Common Name : Blue-sided Satinwing
Status : Uncommon
Locatin : Venus Drive, Rifle Range Nature Trail
(Venus Drive, 30 Dec 2008)
This is an uncommon forest damselfly first spotted in Venus Drive. The male is characterised by its bright blue colour at side of thorax, and broad dark patch at the tip of the hind wing. The female is less attractive with dull olive thorax. This species like to perch on dried twigs or branches half meter above partially-shaded forest streams, sometimes as high as above 3 metres. The males are more commonly seen than the females.
Female (Venus Drive, 27 May 2009)
I have seen the male at least 3 times around the same areas that I photographed the metallic green damselfly (Vestalis amethystina) but never had the chance to go near, not even a record shot. The reason is that once it flew off, it is very hard to spot where it next landed because of its dark-coloured body which blends nicely in the low-light surrounding. I saw it for the 4th time and I was determined at get a better shot. I decided to fix on my 1.4 Teleconvertor this time and got into the stream very carefully. I tried not to create any noise each time I stepped into the water, which may scare away the damsel (based on past 3 encounters). Soon I was one metre away from the damsel and I took many record shots.
(Male side view close-up - Venus Drive, 30 Dec 2008)
When I had enough of it, I moved closer. To my surprise, the damsel liked me and allowed me to take various close-up shots. The only problem was that I had little room to move around to adjust the composition or get parallel to it as the stream is narrow and the difficulty in placing the tripod. Anyway, I got the shots I wanted and went home happy.
(Female, close-up - 27 May 2009)
No comments:
Post a Comment