Number: 13
Family: Platycnemididae
Genus: Calicnemia
Species: Calicnemia imitans
Common name(s): N/A
Thai name(s): แมลงปอเข็มหญ้าแถบเขียว
Habitat: Heavily forested uplands streams
Province(s) sighted: Chiang Mai & Kanchanaburi (possibly)
Sightings (by me): Fairly common in Chiang Mai
In flight (that I have seen): March-April
Species easily confused with: None
There are four species of Calicnemia and I have been lucky enough to spot three species so far. Calicnemia imitans was the first I saw and is probably the most common. C. imitans likes dark and forested areas along slow moving shallow streams.
The male
The adult male has blue and black stripes on the thorax and the abdomen is very slim and blue also.
Two's company...
A pair of males
The young male
The young adult male looks very similar to the mature male, but has yellow stripes instead of blue.
The female
The female looks very much like the young adult male.
Teneral female???
I saw this newly emerged specimen at first light in Kanchanaburi and sent the photos to Noppadon. He believes it to be Calicnemia sp. and it looks mostly like C. imitans to me. If you know otherwise, please let me know.
If you click on the photo you can clearly see red and yellow veins running along the abdomen.
Here, she was happy to sit on my thumb. Stunning little thing.
C. imitans is a species I have only seen at a few places in Chiang Mai from March-April. The male seemed to be more common than the female, but they are fairly abundant when you spot them. Thanks to Noppadon Makbun for directing me to them.
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