Dragonflies & damselflies of Thailand: August 2018

Saturday, August 4, 2018

...and Then My Brilliant Season Comes Crashing Back Down to Earth

Location: Phu Khieo Wildlife Sanctuary, Chaiyaphum

Date: Friday 27th July, 2018

Habitat: Forested ponds/swamp and marshy areas

Well, it had to come to an end. My amazing season of seeing new species for my records (22 so far) had to come to an end... and it did... with a bump! Like the previous week, it had been pouring down all week but I was determined to see L. elegantissima again, get a few improved shots and even finally catch the 2-3 species I see almost every time I visit the small streams but they are always whizzing past me and so a net is required (one of which I am sure is Macromidia genialis shanensis, but need to catch one with a net to confirm -- and get shots, of course). But the weather, and the dragonflies, had other ideas. It was pouring with rain and all the streams/river were heavily swollen and not really worth investigating (seriously dark and potentially dangerous). So, I visited the ponds in the hope to see something... but hardly anything was showing. Even the common species had other ideas. There were a few brighter moments in terms of the weather, but was mostly rain. However, there was a little light at the end of the tunnel in the shape of Dysphaea gloriosa, female... my first sighting of a female! Though it was great to see, it was high up on a wire and put my 400mm lens to the test! Other than that, it was just common species and I didn't even take that many.

So, all good things come to an end... now I have to get back out there and start again. Hopefully, I can see a few more new species before the season is out!

My best photos of the day:

Orolestes octomaculata, hyaline male with a crooked abdomen... I have seen a few hyaline males this season.

Neurothemis fulvia, male

Cratillia lineata calverti, old female

Orthetrum glaucum, male

Trithemis aurora, male (can't remember the last time I photographed this species)

A very hungry female Acisoma panorpoides

Mr Lestes elatus

... Mrs Lestes elatus

Aciagrion hisopa, female... my fist sighting for some time.

Not the best photo in the world, but my first sighting of Orthetrum luzonicum copula

And my (sort of) highlight of the day... Mrs Dysphaea gloriosa toughing it out high up in the rain.

...and a little closer

A few oddities...

Macracantha arcuata... is there a better spider than this? It is so cool!

Any ideas on ID of this cicada?... it was about 2 inches in size at a swampy area

... and a beautiful leafhopper Thagria sp. (ID by Marcus Ng.)

...finally and interesting sign has popped up. This is now located where two motorbikes have been parked every time I have visited the place. I can't read it, but pretty much seems to be about big bears! Any translators out there?

214: Tetrathemis hyalina Kirby, 1889

Number: 214 / Family: Libellulidae / Genus: Tetrathemis

Species: Tetrathemis hyalina / Elf

Habitat: Forested Swampy Ponds

Provinces sighted: Chantaburi, Phuket, Narathiwat

Sightings: Uncommon

In flight (that I have seen): July-August

Species easily confused with: Tetrathemis platyptera

Well, I think I can finally put this species into the 'seen' bank. Going all the way back to 2011, I saw what I thought was Tetrathemis hyalina. However, I think I actually got the two species (T. platyptera) as they were living side by side. In fact, I was so confused that I actually decided to not count it as a record, especially as I didn't think it could be found as high up as Khao Yai. That is until I saw it again seven years later in Chantaburi. Now, I am convinced it is in fact the same species and I should have had more faith in Noppadon's ID (he is never wrong haha).

It is very similar in appearance to its common cousin but there are subtle differences. The easy way to separate them is through the almost clear (or hyaline) wings as well as the reduced size of the markings on the abdomen of the Elf. Since then, I have managed to spot a female in Phuket and also a small number of males at a swampy pond in Narathiwat... though they were a bugger to get anywhere near.

The Male

Super skittish and took me an age to get these (very happy with them). The abdomen of the male is much slimmer than that of the common species, which is the easiest way to split them. Of course, the lack of enfumed wings is also a feature, though not all T. platyptera do have yellowish wing bases, so it isn't a guarantee.

The Female

Here is the female from Chantaburi.

I am pretty sure that this is also a female of this species from Phuket (though it has puffed out its abdomen), but has significantly reduced markings along the abdomen. Let me know if I am wrong.

213: Lyriothemis elegantissima Selys, 1883

Number: 213 / Family: Libellulidae / Genus: Lyriothemis

Species: Lyriothemis elegantissima / Elegant Wide-bellied Dragonfly*

Provinces sighted: Chaiyaphum

Sightings (by me): Rare

In flight: July-August

Species easily confused with: Lyriothemis sp.; Lyriothemis sp. 2

*The only common name I could find was 'Forest Chaser' but with so many common names for this genus and none really reflecting it well, I decided to name all species in the genus to "Wide-bellied Dragonflies'. Also, I kept the the descriptive part as 'Elegant' taken from the species name, so the Elegant Wide-bellied Dragonfly.

Well, I had seen this species on numerous occasions... or so I thought. I have come across a number of similar-looking red Lyriothemis species. However, I recently saw the true form of Lyriothemis elegantissima, commonly known as the Forest Chaser. In fact, I think I only saw it because the more common Lyriothemis species (yet to be described) was absent. Maybe I have noticed it before but overlooked it! Similar to the others in many ways but it has heavy black markings on the thorax and on the end segments of the abdomen. The key, however, seems to be the genitalia. It is possible that the other two Lyriothemis species are, in fact, the same species but they are most certainly not L. elegantissima! It seems to prefer heaily tree-lined swampy areas. Though I only managed to get records shots of it. I returned the following week and managed to get much better shots of the male in the gloom and I have since captured excellent photos of the female.

The Male

The male is stunning with its incredibly broad abdomen that is black with prominent yellow spots and bright red dorsally, as well as dirty yellow stripes with a dusting of brown on a black thorax. Note the size of the genitalia.

The Female

Upon return, looking for the male once more, I managed to spot a female at the exact location and was happy to let me fire away!

Thursday, August 2, 2018

The Season Just Keeps Going...

Location: Phu Khieo Wildlife Sanctuary (Chaiyaphum)

Date: Saturday 21 July, 2018

Habitat: Swampy areas and somewhat flooded streams

Well, after an awesome trip to Chantaburi, I had the bit between my teeth and was on a mission to add more species to my list. It had been pouring it down all week and, even though it was raining on the Saturday morning, I managed to prise myself out of bed at 6.00am and get on the road. Once I arrived at the entrance, it was raining. Unperturbed, I entered and started my usual rise to the top, stopping off at as many places as possible en route. I targeted the streams and swampy areas nearer the top. However, it soon became obvious that the streams were going to be no-go areas -- they were heavily swollen and some were belting through. I did notice three Burmagomphus divaricatus (2 males and 1 female) high up in the treetops, obviously staying well clear of river. Several Microgomphus svihleri were also skulking around in the scrub about 50 metres away from the river. It seemed to be the theme of the day as most of the rarities that can be found at this time of year were simply absent. I was at a loss. All the way up, there were just common species that I always see -- through it gave me an opportunity to get in a few improvement shots. I did eventually bump into Orolestes selysi, though they were incredibly skittish and in low numbers. I believe that everything was high up in the tree canopy trying to get as much sun as possible and steering clear of the horrible conditions below (though the leeches were having a field day). However, possibly due to the absence of the Lyriothemis species that I have seen there on numerous occasions that is yet to be described, it possibly opened the door to me seeing another very similar-looking Lyriothemis species. Right at the death, I noticed a solitary red specimen in a tree overhanging a swampy area in the gloom. It was in the other side and out of reach, but I did manage to fire off a couple of record shots into the gloom with a long lens. Looking at the shots, I knew what it was straight away: Lyriothemis elegantissima. A new species for my records!!! A beautiful species that I may have seen before but misidentified it as the other red Lyriothemis species. And that was it. plenty of common species knocking about but nothing to shout about, until I was rescued at the end by a super-special species!

Best Photos of the day:

Tetrathemis platyptera... a common resident but copulas are hardly ever seen!