Dragonfly (6) - Orchithemis Pulcherrima

Family : Libellulidae

Common Name : Variable Sentinel

Status : A common forest species (Red form are more common than blue form)
Locatin : Upper Seletar Reservior, Upper Peirce, Sime Track

This is a relatively small forest dragonfly. The males have many colour forms.  The red form male is one of the most common forest dragonflies.  My first sighting was at a small stream perching on a hanging branch on 8 Feb 09 at about 3 pm. The breeze, the thin perch as well as the low light condition made it difficult to get a sharp image. I was fortunate to spot another one at Sime Track on 19 Feb 09 in the morning and this time it was resting on a firm branch allowing me to take a better shot of it.

(Male, Red Form - Sime Track, 19 Feb 2009)

The females also have different colour forms.  The following images are some of the colour forms.  I have yet to see the red colour form of the female which is said to be rare.

(Female, brownish abdomen - Venus Drive, 22 Jul 09

According to Mr Choong, the following dragonfly looks like a female Orchithemis pulcherrima - a blue form. He said "I have seen red form female O. pulcherrima of young to very matured ones. The colour of very matured female red pulcherrima is not as black as this. Furthermore, there is a trace light colour on the S2-3. So, I personal think it could be a blue form female O. pulcherrima."

(Female, Blue form - Upper Peirce)

(Female, blue form - side view)

(Female, dark form - Lornie Trail, 1 June 2011)