Number: 210
Family: Libellulidae
Genus: Orchithemis
Species: Orchithemis pulcherrima
Common name(s): Variable Sentinel
Habitat: Forested area
Province(s) sighted:Krathing Waterfall/Khao Kitchacut NP (Chantaburi)
Sightings (by me): Solitary female
In flight (that I know of): July
Easily confused with:
A species that had the Facebook dragon guys scratching their collective heads was a rather plain looking female. It looked a little like a Lyriothemis species until it suddenly dawned on someone... it was Orchithemis pulcherrima -- a new species for most of our records! Amazingly, one or two members even got a fleeting glimpse of a red male high up in the tree canopy, though I missed it.
It likes to perch on twigs at the edge of the forest. However, with the weather being so poor, the others weren't showing.
Though it is only a young female, it can be identified by the abdomen that starts off quite broad and then tapers off towards the end (see the second photo).
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