Dragonfly (42) - Orchithemis Pruinans

Family : Libelluidae

Common Name : Blue Sentinel

Status : Rare

Location : Upper Peirce

This is a rare forest species which prefers to perch under shaded areas.  The male has dark thorax and abdomen.  Abdominal segments 2-4 are powdery bluish-white.  It looks very similar to the dark form of male Orchithemis Pulcherrima except that O. Pruinans is slighter larger and its abdomen is thinner and longer.  The white marking of O. Pulcherrima covers only the second and third segments of its abdomen. The female is said to be brown in colour which has not been recorded in Singapore.

(Male - Upper Peirce, 20 Sep 2010)

This male was spotted recently at Upper Peirce forest.  I have originally thought that it was an uncommon dark form male O. Pulcherrima, which I was glad to add to my collection.  Little did I know that it was actually a rare O. Pruinans making me even happier!  It is an easy subject to photograph as it stays at the fixed spot for a long period.  Even if it flew away, it would return or perch very nearby.  The only problem is the poor lighting as it always choose a shaded area to perch.  I saw quite a no. of them around the vincinity but I am unsure whether they were O. Pulcherrima or O. Pruinans now.

(Side view - Upper Peirce, 20 Sep 2010)

Reference : A photographic guide on Dragonflies of Singapore.

Dragonfly (30) - Macrogomphus Quadratus

Family : Gomphidae

Common Name : Forktail

Status : Uncommon

Location : Upper Peirce

This is an uncommon dragonfly spotted at Upper Peirce.  My personal experience with hugh forest species is that they are skittish and once they flew off, they disappear and never come back.  But this one was an exception.  It was quite comfortable with me so long as I maintained a safe distance of about one metre.  It would fly away only if I attempted to get closer.  But the lucky thing was that it would come back and perch somewhere nearby.  

(Upper Peirce - 5 Jun 2010)

As this was my first time seeing this species , I took as many shots as possible to make sure that I got it right. Being a large subject, the main problem was the difficulty of getting an acceptable background.  I chose to use a large aperture of f5.6 & f8 for most of my shots.

(Side view)

(Doing stretching exercise)

Dragonfly (27) - Pseudothemis Jorina

Family : Libellulidae

Common Name : Banded Skimmer

Status : Uncommon
Location : Upper Peirce, Eng Neo Ave

I have seen this uncommon black and white colour dragonfly at the forest edge of Upper Pierce. There were a few of them flewing non-stop without perching. I was surprised to see one perching quite far up at a small branch. Only managed a few lousy record shots.

(Upper Pierce - 19 Aug 2009)

I saw this dragonfly again at some bushes near Saddle Club (Eng Neo Ave) this morning. Unfortunately, the lighting was too harsh and it flew off before I could manage some improvement shots.

(Saddle Club, Eng Neo Ave - 5 May 2010)

Dragonfly (24) - Neurothemis Fluctuans

Family : Neurothemis fluctuans
Common Name : Common Parasol
Status : Very common
Location : Almost anywhere in Singapore where there are bushes near ponds, streams, lake, reservoirs, etc.

This is easily one of the most common dragonfly species that you can find in Singapore. They are so common that most of the photographers, me included, would give it a miss when seeing them.

(Male - Venus Drive, 25 Nov 2008)

(Female - Venus Drive, 24 Oct 2009)

Dragonfly (18) - Lathrecista Asiatica

Family : Libellulidae
Common Name : Scarlet Grenadier
Status : Uncommon
Location : Upper Seletar Reservior, Upper Peirce, Tagore Forest

This dragonfly is classified as a common forest species but I have seen the males only at Upper Seletar Reservior and Upper Peirce.  The female is less common as I have sighted once at Upper Peirce.  The thorax of both sexes are dark brown in colour with yellow stripes.  However the male species has a entire red abdomen while the female is brownish in colour.

(Male, Upper Pierce - 28 Jan 2010)

This males species looks quite similar to Agrionoptera Insignis.  One way to differentiate is that L. Asiatica has a narrower and straight-sided abdomen. 

(Side View Female - Upper Pierce, 12 July 2010)

(Front View Female - Upper Peirce, 12 July 2010)

I am happy to have captured an improvement shot of the male at Tagore Forest on 4 Sep 2010.

(Male - Tagore Forest, 4 Sep 2010)

Damselfly (24) - Prodasineura Collaris

Family : Protoneuridae

Common Name : Collared Threadtails

Status : Uncommon
Location : Upper Peirce

There are 4 Proidasineura species in Singapore namely Collaris, Humeralis, Interrupta & Notostigma). The blue marking on the head and thorax of Collaris and Notostigma look similar to me and I have difficulty identifying them. My guess is that this is a Collaris based on the white or blue marking on the tip of its tail. Again, I would appreciate it if someone could confirm it.

(Upper Peirce - 31 Dec 2009)

(Side view close-up - Upper Peirce, 31 Dec 2009)

Dragonfly (17) - Risiophlebia Dohrni

Family : Libellulidae
Common Name : Triangled Small Percher
Status : Critically Endangered

Of Singapore's 124 recorded species of odonata, Risiophlebia Dohrni is one of the rarest. It is classified in the Singapore Red Data Book 2008 as a critically endangered species. This species can only be found in Upper Peirce. It is a relatively small size dragonfly with a unique unstraightened obdomen. Quite a cooperative species allowing me to take various shots.

(Upper Peirce - 21 Dec 2009)

(Upper Peirce - 21 Dec 2009)

Damselfly (23) - Libellago Aurantiaca

Family : Chlorocyphidae
Common name : Fiery Gem
Status : Rare
Location : Upper Peirce, Endau Rompin National Park
 

Libellago is the most unique genus in Singapore with its wings longer than the body. They are rare, beautiful and require pristine habitat. Their behaviour is fascinating too. There are only three Libellago species in Singapore checklist, one of which (Libellago Stigamtizans) is already extinct here.

(Upper Peirce - 7 Dec 2009)

Although Libellago Aurantiaca is less rarer that Hyalina (see my previous post), it is my most wanted species to photograph. I pariticularly like its vibrant colour of red and yellow and I have been searching for more than a year. So you can imagine how happy I was when I finally saw one at Upper Pierce, the same place where I shot the Hyalina. They love to perch lowerly, just above the water making it difficult to get a good angle. I only managed a good record shot.  I have visited this place many times subsequently but this beautiful damselfly could not be found anymore.

Afternote : I finally got an improvement shot of this species but in Singapore.  This was taken at a swift flowing stream at Endau Rompin National Park.

(Endau Rompin National Park - 3 Oct 2010)

Damselfly (22) - Libellago Hyalina

Family : Chlorocyphidae
Common name : Clearwing Gem
Status : Critically Endangered
Location : Upper Peirce

Libellago Hyalina is a very rare damselfly. Upper Pierce is the only place where this species has been sited. It is therefore classified as critically endangered species. According to Mr Tang Hung Bun, an expert in Singapore Odonata, the common name of this species should be Clearwing Gem instead of Hyaline Jewel which was wrongly used by some people.

Libellago Hyalina is a confusing species because it has several colour forms for both male and female. It is not clear how many colour forms they actually have. The images below are some colour forms captured so far. There could be other colour forms that we are not aware of.

(Male, steel blue form - 3 Dec 2009)

(Male, glowing purple form - 5 Dec 2009)

(Female, grey form - 5 Dec 2009)

(Younger Female, orange form - 3 Dec 2009)

(Younger female, brown form - 7 Dec 2009)

Damselfly (16) - Amphicnemis gracilis

Family : Coenagrionidae
Common name : Will-o-wisp
Status : Uncommon
Location : Bukit Timah Bicycle Trail, Upper Peirce, Upper Seletar Reservior

This is a swamp forest species and a new record for Singapore in 1997. It has very slim but long tail.

(Very Young Female, Orange Form - Bukit Timah Bicycle Trail, 30 May 09)

The above image should be a very young female with strong orange thorax, yellow eyes & wings. When it gets a little older, it would change into bright red colours (see below). Eye colours would change too.

(Inmature Female, Red Form - Upper Pierce, 14 Nov 09)

When it is fully matured, it would change again into green-olive colour (see below). The males are less attractive with a dark metallic green thorax and it is less common than the female. I have yet to see one (see picture here).

(Matured Female, Olive-Green Form - Bukit Timah Bicycle Trail)

(Matured female closed up)

(Very young female, close-up)

Damselfly (13) - Ceriagrion Cerinorubellum [彩虹細蟌]

Family : Coenagrionidae
Common Name : Ornate Coraltail or Bi-coloured Damsel
Status : Very Common
Location : Singapore Botanical Gardens, Holland Woods, Wild Wild West, Jurong Woods, Kranji Nature Trail, etc.

(Venus Drive, 16 Sep 2009)

This beautiful damselfly is the most common species in Singapore. They can be easily found in many of our parks particularly around ponds, drains, canal, open streams, etc. They could also be found in our forested areas. 

(Singapore Botanical Gardens, 29 Oct 2008)

They are relatively big in size and I have seen them, on a few occasions, attacking and feeding on other species of smaller damselflies. Both sexes have similar appearance except that the female has slightly darker marking.

Being common and having a colourful body, they are also the most photographed species. They are quite approachable and get a close-up shot is fairly easy.

Damselfly (11) - Drepanosticta Quadrata

Family : Platystictidae

Common name : Singapore Shadowdamsel
Status : Uncommon
Location : Bukit Timah Bicycle Trail, Upper Peirce

(Upper Peirce, 18 Nov 2009)

This is a uncommon damselfly that is generally found in primary forest near small streams. According to Singaporre references, this species is known only from Singapore. So I am happy to have spotted this local species perching lowly in a clear stream near Bukit Timah Nature Reserve. It was a narrow stream with lot of rocks it in making it difficult to set up my tripod. Fortunately, the water was shadow and clean and with reasonably good lighting, I managed to get some decent shots.  It is a cooperative species to photograph.  I spotted this species a few months later in Upper Peirce forest.

(Bukit Timah Bicycle Trail, 16 Feb 2009)

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)

Dragonfly (4) - Tholymis Tillarga

Family : Libellulidae

Common Name : White-barred Duskhawk
Status : Common
Location : Venus Drive, Upper Peirce, Macritchie Nature Trail

This is a common forest dragonfly. The male body is reddish in colour including adbomen. Both wings are transparent with the high wing with white and brown on the base. The female is less attractive with yellowish in colour and its hind wings have translucent brown near the base.

(Male - Venus Drive, 21 Jan 2009)

 A good time to photograph this species is during morning and early afternoon when they are less active and are usually seen hanging on to the side twigs. It is not difficult to get close to it but once you scare them off, they are unlikely to come back on the same perch or in the vincinity.

(Male & Female - Macritchie Nature Trail, 29 Jan 2009)

Damselfly (4) - Podolestes Orientalis

Family : Megapodagrionidae)

Common Name : Flatwings
Status : Common forest species
Location : Venus Drive, Macritchie Nature Trail

The Podolestes orientalis is a common forest damselfly. It was first recorded in Singapore in 1997 and commonly known as the Flatwings Damselfly.  It is moderately built which likes to perch with its wings open up like a dragonfly. 

(Male - Venus Drive, 5 Nov 2008)

I first spotted it perching on a twig in the middle of in a small muddy pool of water. Looking from about a metre away, I had actually mistaken it as a dragonfly because of its flat wings and relatively bigger than the normal damselfly. It was not easy to set my tripod in the muddy water and quite difficult to move around as the surrounding area is small. Fortunately, the subject was cooperative which allowed me to get some close-up shots. As expected, the lighting in the forest was not ideal and since this was the first time that I was shooting under such poor light condition, I had quite a difficulty photographing it and I just tried my luck by trial and error.

(A shot showing the flat wings)

I initially thought it was a uncommon species but when I explored more into the various forest, I realised that they are actually quite common.

(Side view close-up shot)

(Mating - Venus Drive, 18 Jul 2009)

Damselfly (3) - Coeliccia Octogesima

Family : Platycnemidae
Common Name : Telephone Sylvan
Status : Common forest species
Location : Venus Drive, Upper pierce, Rifle Range Nature Trail

The Coeliccia octogesima is a common forest species. Unlike most damselflies that I've seen, it has a thin body and held its wings apart instead of holding them together vertically. This male species is easily identified by the two telephone shape from the dorsal view of its thorax. The female is similar to the male but the telephone shape is less well defined.

(Venus Drive, 4 Feb 2009)

I first spotted it on 26 Dec 2008 perching very lowly on small patch of grass making it difficult to photograph the side view. I found a mating pair in Feb 09 but it soon separated and perched on a thin branch in small dark stream but it was high enough this time to have a classic side view shot.

(Venus Drive, 4 Feb 2009)

This is one of the most cooperative species that I have seen and I have no problem getting a dorsal close-up view.

Dragonfly (2) - Nannophya Pygmaea [小紅蜻蜓]

Family : Libellulidae
Common name : Pygmy Dragonfly
Status : Common
Location : Lornie Trail, Rifle Range Nature Trail, Chestnut Ave, Upper Peirce

(Not fully Matured Male - Chestnut Ave, 4 Jan 2009)

Nannophya pygmaea (or pypmy) is one of the smallest dragonflies species in the world and certainly the smallest dragonfly that can be found in Singapore. It has a total length of approximately 15mm long and a wingspan of only about 20mm.

(Mature Male - Rifle Range Nature Trail, 20 Feb 2010)

The mature male (above pictures) is almost entire red particularly on its eyes and body.  The immature males is yellowish brown in colour (see below).  The female's abdomen has bands of brown and white.

They are very cooperative and photographing them is relatively easy. The challenge is to get a uniform background and a good angle having its wings not covering their faces which I didn't quite manage to do it for these 3 images.   I have seen the female but I have yet to get any shot of it yet.

(Immature male - Chestnut Ave, 4 Jan 2009)