Dragonfly (31) - Trithemis Festiva

Family : Libellulidae

Common Name : Indigo Dropwing
Status : Common
Location : Venus Drive

Trithemis Festiva is not really an uncommon species as I have seen them a few times at the stream near the entrance of Venus Drive.  They love to perch under strong sunlight and are quite active in the late morning.  Thus, getting a good shot of them is not easy.  This record shot was taken more than 1.5 years ago and it is a shame that I have not been able to get improvement shots of this beauty since then.

(Venus Drive - 6 Jan 2009)

Spotted this dragonfly at a stream in Endau-Rompin National Park.

(Endau-Rompin National Park - 31 Aug 2010)

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)

Damselflies from Panti Forest

I joined my nature photography friends to Panti Forest today. There were 15 of us, 10 doing birding while the rest of us focused on macro shooting. Panti forest is more well-known for bird watching and photography, so it was really a pleasant surprise to me that there are so many species of damselflies, many of which cannot be found in Singapore.

(Heliocypha biforata, male)

(Libellago stigmatizans, Orange-faced Gem, male)

(Heliocypha biforata, female)

(Pseudagrion pruinosum, Grey Sprite, 赤斑蟌)

(Elattoneura analis)

(Rhinagrion macrocephalum)

 

 

Dragonfly (29) - Orthetrum Glancum (黑尾灰蜻)

Family : Libellulidae

Common Name : Common Blue Skimmer

Status : Uncommon

Location : Rifle Range Nature Trail, Dairy Farm Nature Park

Orthetrum Glaucum is a medium size dragonfly species.  The males are blue in colour with a greyish at the tip of its abdomen.  The females are golden yellow in colour and they are less commonly found than the males.  They usually perch on messy bushes and sometimes on stones under the hot sunlight making it difficult to get nice shots.  So far I have sighted them at Dairy Farm Nature Park and Rifle Range Nature Trail.  Hope I can get an improvement shot soon.

(Rifle Range Nature Trail - 2010)

Dragonfly (28) - Diplacodes Trivalis (侏儒蜻蜓)

Family : Libelludidae

Common Name : Chalky percher, Blue percher or Ground Skimmer

Status : Common

Location : Wild Wild West, Chestnut Ave, Jurong Woods II, Lornie Trail

This is a relatively small-sized dragonfly that usually prefers to perch lowly on grass. The male has beautiful blue eyes, a blue-grey body with black on the tail. The female has green eyes, greenish body and black markings on its tail. They are quite skittish in the day or late morning. Best time to shoot them is early in the morning while they are probably still sleeping.

(Female - Wild Wild West, 21 Mar 10)

(Female close-up - Wild Wild West, 21 Mar 10)

(Male - Wild Wild West, 8 Jun 08)

(Male close-up - Wild Wild West, 8 Jun 08)

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 (26) - Camacinia Gigantea

Family : Libellulidae
Common Name : Sultan
Status : Rare
Location : Bukit Timah Bicycle Trail, Chestnut Ave

My first sighting of this dragonfly species was at Bukit Timah Bicycle Trail.  I did not get any shots as it was flying non-stop.  I thought, at that time, that it was a huge Neurothemis as they share similar colour and pattern. The size of this species is almost double that of Neurothemis.  I spotted it again but this time at Chestnut Ave Bicycle Trail and managed some record shots.

(Male - Chestnut Ave, 23 Feb 2009)

Dragonfly (25) - Brachydiplax Chalybea

Family : Libellulidae
Common Name : Blue Dasher
Status : Common
Location : Singapore Botanical Gardens, Rifle Range Nature Trail, Segar Road

A relatively small-sized species commonly found in ponds. Males are blue in colour with dark patches while females are brown in colour. Female is less common than male. I have seen the female only once. By the way, I have initially thought that this is a Aethriamanta Gracilis. Both look very similar although B. Chalybea is slightly bigger in size.

(Male - Rifle Range Nature Trail, 22 Apr 10)

(Female - Segar Road, 3 Jan 2009)

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 (23) - Rhyothemis Triangularis

Family : Libellulidae
Common Name : Sapphire Flutterer
Status : Uncommon
Location : Chestnut Ave, Venus Drive, Eng Neo Ave

Rhyothemis Triangularis is an unmistakable species.  The male has distinct dark metallic blue colour on its wings. Female is similar to the male but the base of its wings are darker.  This uncommon male species was first sighted at Venus Drive but I gave it a miss as I had not started collecting Odonata at that time.  My 2nd sighting was at Chestnut Ave.   I only managed a few record shots before it flew away.

(Male - Chestnut Avenue, 2 Nov 2009)

My 3rd sighting was at Eng Neo Ave but unfortunately, I still did not get nice images of it. I have yet to meet the female. In my opinion, it is best to take from a dorsal view to show its beautiful wings. I shall do that next time.

(Male - Eng Neo Ave, 2010)

My 4th sighting of this species was at Jurong Woods II.  Unfortunately, it was too sensitive to me and I could not get close to it.  I was bitten by a water leeches while chasing for it!  My 5th meeting was at Lornie Trail on 25 Aug 2010 and this time I managed to set a reasonable dorsal view showing the beautiful wings of this dragonfly.

(Lornie Trail - 25 Aug 2010)

Dragonfly (22) - Rhyothemis Obsolescens

Family : Libellulidae
Common Name : Bronze Flutterer
Status : Uncommon
Location : Chestnut Ave, Rifle Range Nature Trail

This species can be easily identified by its bronze wings and dark marking. Both male and female are similar in appearance. They like to perch under direct sunlight. I have only seen this dragonfly in an open marshes near Chestnut Avenue. Unfortunately, before I could get a better shot of it, the place is now under redevelopment  for private residential purposes.

(Rifle Range Nature Trail - 22 Apr 2010)

My 2nd sighting of this species was at Rifle Range Nature Trail.  I am glad to capture some improvement shots of it.

(Rifle Range Nature Trail - 22 Apr 2010)

Dragonfly (21) - Orthetrum Sabina

Family : Libellulidae
Common Name : Variegated Green Skimmer
Status : Common
Location : West Coast Park, Chinese Gardens, Jurong Woods II, Toa Payoh Town Gardens.

A relatively large dragonfly species. Quite commonly found near ponds. I have seen them at many locations such as Chinese Gardens, West Coast Park, Jurong Woods II, Toa Payoh Town Gardens, etc. The appearance of the male and female is almost identical. They are usually quite skittish and not easy to photograph.

(West Coast Park - 28 Feb 2008)

(West Coast Park - 28 Feb 2008)

Dragonfly (20) - Orthetrum Testaceum

Family : Libellulidae
Common name : Scarlet Skimmer
Status : Common
Location : Singapore Botanical Gardens, Lornie Trail

(Male - Singapore Botanical Gardens)

A common dragonfly often found in ponds. Male has dark brown-coloured thorax with redish abdomen while female is brown with obscure marking. Males are more common than females. The male looks very similar to Orthetrum Chrysis. 

(Mating, Singapore Botanical Gardens - 22 Jan 2008)

Dragonfly (19) - Diplacodes Nebulosa

Family : Libelluidae

Common name : Black-tipped Percher

Status : Uncommon

Location : Chestnut Ave

This is a small-sized dragonfly species and I have only seen it once at Chestnue Avenue. The male is dark blue in colour with small dark patch at the tip of its wings.  The female has light yellowish in colour, quite different from the male.

(Male - Chestnut Avenue, 1 Aug 09)

(Female - Chestnut Avenue, 1 Aug 2009)

(Male - Chestnut Ave, 1 Aug 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)

Damselfly - ID unknown

This damselfly was spotted around the same area where I found the Hyalina. They look quite similar but the colour of the thorax is slightly different. My guess is that it could be a juvenile Hyalina. I would appreciate it if someone could help to confirm the id of this species.

(Upper Peirce - 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)