Gunung Belumut Recreation Forest

Gunung Belumut Recreational Forest (GBRF) is a protected forest in central Johor.  It is located about 30 km north-east of the town of Kluang.

I got to know about GBRF only recently when Mr Tang Hung Bun, an odonata expert, shared with me a video (see below) of the Green Metalwing damselfly that he recorded at this place.  He said that he enjoyed very much the dragonflies there.

This got me excited and I requested Tony to do a recce there with the intention of organizing a formal macro outing for members of Nature Photographic Society, Singapore.  So， 5 of us (Tony, Allan, Ong, Foong & I) set off early in the morning  on 16 July 2011.  It was about 7.30 am when we cleared the custom at Tuas second link.  We drove towards Kluang and had our breakfast at a coffee shop called "老巴剎“.  We reached GBRF at about 10.30 am. 

There is a big forest stream on the right side near the entrance of GBRF.  The water was clean, moderately flowing, shallow with many small rocks underneath.  However, at some areas, the water can be above knee level deep.  From my experience, such habitat is an ideal place to find interesting and rare damselfly species.  

It did not disappoint.  Immediately, a male Euphaea ochracea was spotted perching at the edge of the stream.  Not too far away, perching on the rocks in the middle of the water were a few beautiful Green Metalwing, both male and female.

(Green Metalwing, female)

(Green Metalwing, male)

It was a big wide stream which can easily accommodate many photographers at one time.  As we moved around the stream, many other damselflies species were spotted.  There were so many of them that there is no need to queue up to shoot.

(Allan spotted another rare damselfly)

(Euphaea ochracea, male)

(Euphaea ochracea, female)

(A male Libellago aurantiaca guarding a eggs laying female)

(Heliocypha biforata, male)

(Heliocypha perforata, male)

(A mating pair of  Euphaea Impar)

After spending more than 3.5 hrs at this stream, we stopped for a short break at 2.30 pm where we ate breads as lunch that we bought at the coffee shop earlier.  All of us were tired but happy with what we had photographed.  As it was still early, we decided to walk further up the stream hoping to find more interesting subjects.  

(Another steam further away from the entrance)