An Incredibly Quiet Return to Nam Nao

Location: Nam Nao National Park, Petchabun/Chaiyaphum 

Date: 04 July, 2020

Habitat: 'Helicopter Pad' lake, streams at 14 kms trail, temporary ponds

Well, following the hardcore Covid-19 lockdown, things were starting to slowly open back up. Though I was champing at the bit to get out, I was still a little cautious of visiting national parks, even though it was announced that they were open. Therefore, I opted for one of my regular old places, Nam Nao NP. However, I decided to hit the areas that didn't require entry to the actual HQ and so decided upon the 'Helicopter Pad' lake and the 14 kms trail which has a number of small ponds en route. 

From the moment I arrived, however, everything seemed a little eerie. It just didn't feel right. This is one of the places I visit regularly and it was slap-bang in the best part of the season. There should have been dragons everywhere by about 10 am... but there was simply nothing. It was dull, admittedly, but nothing seemed to show. Sometimes the sun emerged from its slumber and poked through the heavy clouds. Nothing. Other times the rain took hold and then abated. Nothing. Only a few seriously common species flitting around. It was the same result at every location. To the point, I am not going to mention dragons in this blog (just show a few pictures). In the end, I started taking photos of other interesting bugs, even though they too were somewhat thin on the ground. It had been raining a lot (though still low compared to normal) and there were clear 'tide marks' from earlier flash floods, but this kind of stuff never usually stops me being incredibly busy all day, having to choose which dragon to chase...

I talked to a few other bug enthusiasts and they seemed to have the same problem. Maybe it is the fact that flights have stopped, borders being closed, self-quarantine is in process and the curfew, but we will never know. Hopefully, by the time I get out, they will be allowed to fly freely again! Haha.

My best photos of the day:

Tetrathemis platyptera, male

Tetrathemis platyptera, another male

Tetrathemis platyptera, and another male... the most common species

Neurothemis fulvia, male

Brachythemis Contaminata, female

Trithemis aurora, male

Other stuff...

When you've just been caught doing something you shouldn't... no idea what beetle this is. 

The world's smallest robber flies? They were seriously tiny! No idea of species

The Black and Golden Cicada (Huechys fusca). ID by Les Day with thanks

The Red Lacewing (Cethosia biblis biblis). Not rare but rarely seen

The Giant Bamboo Weevil (Cyrtotrachelus dux). A beast of a weevil but quite skittish too

Micro weevil (total opposite scale to the one above). This one hanging onto grass in the breeze. No idea of species.

Tachnidae but not idea what species (ID an info by Adrian Plant). Apparently, they are generally parasitoids of Lepidoptera (so I kept him away from the butterfly pics!)

Scorpion fly (Neopanorpa sp.). Cool species. ID by Adrian Plant.

Possibly the Chinese Blister Beetle (Mylabris phalerata), ID by Gerard Chartier with thanks

A Miletis species in terrible condition. Possibly the Unicoloured brownie (but not sure. ID by Dave Eric Sargeant)

A stick insect with a leg missing.

A Return to Nam Nao...

Location: Nam Nao National Park, Petchabun

Date: Wednesday 10th October, 2018

Habitat: Forested ponds

Well, it has been a while, but my brother and I decided to return to one of our old haunts in the shape of Nam Nao National Park. Paul was searching for birds and me dragons, though neither of us expected much in terms of finding something new. Still, armed with my new 100mm L macro lens (thanks, our Paul!), I was champing at the bit to get out there and give it a whirl. We set off at 4 am and decided to tackle the HQ first, followed by the 4 kms trail and finally the 14 kms trail. At the HQ, it was seriously quiet on my part, though not surprising as it was so early. However, there were a number of moths, cicadas and other bits trying thaw out in the early morning light. Following the HQ that doesn't seem the same nowadays since the rangers have "cleaned it up" for tourists. Still, we moved on to the 4 kms trail and were even given the key to open the gate so we could drive down which was cool and reduced the worry of massive elephants getting us. We stopped off all the way down stopping at little ponds and marshy areas. However, it was seriously quiet with only a few common species dotted around. We hit the pond at the bottom and it was soooo quiet. I managed to spot a few teneral Indolestes anomalus flitting from leaf to leaf. However, the most impressive sighting was spotting a solitary male Vestalaria smaragdina smaragdina part way back up the trail. It seemed to be lost as I am unaware of any stream close by and the altitude is around 900 a.s.l. so I was very surprised to see it there. More searching is needed there, me thinks! After a quick search we headed to the main trail that goes deep into the forest and actually into Chaiyphum to Phu Khieo on the other side (though it gets a little tricky beyond the standard 14 kms trail. I stopped at the hidden pond/trickle that is mostly hidden away by tree cover and decided to take a look. I had spotted a few good species there before but thought it was too late in the year to see anything. I saw a male Coeliccia didyma straight away. Then, after a little more searching, I saw two male Prodasineura auricolor, which I hadn't seen for a while, but that was it so we moved on. I tried to stop at as many different ponds as I could, many of which I hadn't spotted before (I sat on top of the ice box in the back and kept my eyes peeled. Sadly, most of the ponds only threw up species I see regularly. Lestes elatus, Agriocnemis approximans, and Ceriagrion azureum, to name a few. Then, I saw a small pond a bit deeper and banged on the side of the truck for my brother to stop.I worked my way over and could see that it was just a standard pond. There was a solitary Pantala flavescens patrolling the pond and a few common species hanging around. The opposite side of the pond was in the shade and looked devoid of life. However, just as I was about to leave a large dragonfly flew out of the shade and was instantly attacked by ALL the males. It quickly retreated to the same place and was able to approach it and get in a few decent photos though was hampered by the sun blasting through the bush where it was perched. It turned out to be the rather rare (for Thailand, at least) Polycanthagyna ornithocephala -- and number 24 for my personal records this season! So, a great day after all, which was improved right at the death while waiting for my brother, Paul. As I sat there, two tiny mouse deer tip-toed out from the gloom and made their way across the path... I have never seen them before and they were simply stunning! I only managed to get a terribly blurred shot so won't add one.. but hope to see them again in the future!

My best photos of the day (in no particular order):

Prodasineura auricolor, male close-up...

...and full shot.

Another close-up of another cool species in the shape of a male Ceriagrion azureum.

All that glistens isn't gold... Agriocnemis approximans, male still fast asleep early morning. 

 A young Lestes elatus, female

A solitary male Coeliccia didyma was spotted.

Introducing Vestalaria smaragdina smaragdina to Nam Nao and the entire range for that matter... including Phu Khieo on the other side!

But the highlight of my day coming the shape of Polycanthagyna ornithocephala.

I took lots of photos of other bugs early on before the dragons got going so will add just a few (and don't really know what species they are yet... any takers on ID?)

I visited Phuket recently and managed to get out for the day so will add that ASAP, but off to Khao Yai first! Watch this space!

Back at the old place ... Nam Nao NP

Location: Nam Nao National Park, Chaiyaphum

Date: Saturday 13th August, 2016

Habitat: Mid- to upland forested stream and some ponds

Following a few decent trips to Phu Khieo which bagged me a couple of new species for my records, I planned to go again at the weekend. However, terrible weather, too much work and being decidedly skint almost put paid to that idea. However, reading up on Facebook that Andrew Pierce had photographed Microgomphus thailandicus at the stream which crosses the pathway on the way to Som Bun Ranger Station and seeing a great photo from Noppadon Makbun on Facebook, my mind was made up. The stream he visited is actually in Chaiyaphum (which I didn't know at first). Anyway, with Andrew's great finding, I had to go and find it for myself. I didn't even set off until 9 am and arrived a little after 11 am - still plenty of time to do some serious searching for one small Gomphid! The first species I saw, however, was rather surprising as it was one of my favourite Gomphids, Merogomphus pavici. It is easily recognisable with its seemingly permanently arched abdomen. Unfortunately, it was obscured by leaves to get a solid shot of it (I already have a great shot but wanted the money shot). I edged my way around and spent around 10 minutes doing so. However, by the time I had done so, the clouds had appeared and, as if by magic, the dragon disappeared too. And that was it. Nothing appeared for around 30 minutes as it rained. Only a solitary and sad looking Trithemis aurora perched defiantly on his stick. I almost gave up when suddenly the clouds gave way to a small, but significant burst of sunshine. Out came a million Pantala flavescens overhead swooping at every bug. Then, from nowhere, came a beast of a Gomphid I have seen here before in decent numbers too. Gomphidia kruegeri krugeri is not a rare or even that uncommon in NE Thailand, but getting a decent photo is really tough. It flies away at the slightest movement. Fortunately for me, however, once it landed - or rather plonked - onto a large rock, the clouds returned and he seemed somewhat paralysed, unable to move. I was able to get pretty close and fire off some decent shots before the sun returned and he shot off. I was then greeted by a female of the same species which was carrying a cargo of red eggs. Sadly, I had no chance of photographing her as she moved quickly between rocks searching for areas to offload her eggs. Still, this is only the second time I have seen the female so I was happy indeed. Other than that, I was the extremely common Prodasineura autumnalis everywhere, but I also managed to encounter Prodasineura auricolor here for the first time. A new provincial record? Not sure, but it is for me anyway. For the rest of the day, I pretty much sat around the stream or walked as far as I could in search of M. thailandicus, but it never showed. Maybe as the weather too poor for it and it prefers sunshine like many Gomphids. I decided it was time to move back up the path and try and locate any ponds. I found a couple but most of them were man-made, created for wild animals and didn't house that much. A couple of ponds, however, seemed to have potential and I will return for sure. I did manage to spot a couple of male Palpopleura sexmaculata sexmaculata which are always a welcome sight and though Indothemis carnatica males were present in small numbers, the females seemed to be everywhere. I also saw a solitary male Lestes praemorsus decipiens and a male Ceriagrion azureum. Other than that, it was common species and nothing really to report. 

Though I didn't see that much, I really need to investigate this place much more as I think there are one or two species still to be found here. Watch this space.

My best photos of the short trip:

Not common, but fairly easy to find around Nam Nao NP

Fairly common, but not easy to photograph

How can anyone not want to photograph this beauty...

Females, old and young ...

Just for the record, I am not completely all about dragons ... I saw a stunning little frog and also The Blue Kaiser butterfly made an appearance for the first time for me.

Nam Nao: A Year in the Making (January)

Location 1: Helicopter Pad Lake, Nam Nao National Park, Petchabun. 

Date: Saturday,  19th January, 2013.
Weather: Freezing cold, then eventually mild

Expectations of recording additional species (for my list): Less than zero

Leech bites: 0 

To say the journey on my final trip to Nam Nao NP was freezing cold is an understatement. When stationary, it was simply cold. When travelling at 70-80 kms/h on the bike at 4.00 a.m. it was unbearable. I had to stop every 10 kms and I was wearing a large coat, jumper and even gloves but it wasn't enough. Eventually, a large double truck trundled along at about 65-70 kms/h. I tucked in behind it and it was almost windless in the slipstream. It was like heaven. I followed it all the way to Chumpae. Hot coffee and a puff pastry at 7/eleven and I was off again - truckless. It was freeeeeeeeeeeeeezing once more. Worse still, when I eventually reached the entrance to Nam Nao NP and started going uphill then temperature plummeted once more. It took over 3 hours to get there and I couldn't stop shivering. When I arrived at the Helicopter Pad lake, it was well and truly light, but freezing cold and the lake looked like it was on fire there was that much mist. It was that cold even the leeches couldn't be bothered biting me. Still, at least I have now completed my year-long project. Who would have thought it?

For hours I searched for odonates, but there were none. Eventually - a bit like Noah's Ark - they started to appear. Though, even by midday, it was still very quiet and cold. There were a few damsels but the dragons were really thin on the ground. Here were the specimens brave enough to make an appearance.

Welcome to a freezing, new world. A newly emerged male Prodasineura autumnalis has just crawled up this stick. I just missed his emergence. 

... and close up

Nam Nao Helicopter Pad (added species from the last visit, bold; new species for the lake, blue; species not seen from last visit, red)

Fam. Coenagrionidae

Aciagrion tillyardi ♀♂  [common]

Aciagrion borneense ♂ [uncommon]

Aciagrion pallidum ♀♂  [uncommon]

Agriocnemis femina femina ♂ ♀ [common]

Agriocnemis nana ♀♂ [uncommon]

Agriocnemis pygmea ♂ ♀ [common]

Argiocnemis rubescens rubeola ♂♀ [fairly common]

Ceriagrion indochinense ♀  [1]

Ischnura aurora

Ischnura senegalensis ♂ ♀ [uncommon]

Onychargia atrocyana

Pseudagrion rubriceps rubriceps ♂  [1]

 

Fam. Platycnemididae

Copera ciliata ♂ ♀ [extremely common]

Copera marginipes ♂♀ [common]

 

Fam. Protoneuridae

Prodasineura autumnalis ♂ ♀ [very common]

 

Fam. Libellulidae

Acisoma panorpoides panorpoides ♂ ♀ [uncommon]
Brachydiplax farinosa 

Brachythemis contaminata ♂ ♀ [common]

Crocothemis servilia ♂ ♀ [fairly common]

Diplacodes nebulosa 

Diplacodes trivialis ♂ ♀ [common]

Indothemis limbata (Selys, 1891) ♂ [uncommon]

Neurothemis intermedia atalanta ♂ [very common]

Orthetrum pruinosum neglectum ♂ [uncommon]

Neurothemis tullia tullia ♂ ♀ [uncommon]

Orthetrum sabina sabina ♂♀ [very common]

Trithemis aurora ♂ ♀ [common]

Location 2: Stream at Headquarters, Nam Nao National Park, Petchabun. 

Date: Saturday,  19th January, 2013.
Weather: Freezing cold, then eventually mild

Expectations of recording additional species (for my list): Less than zero

Leech bites: 0 

 

I didn't expect to see much here and it truly delivered. For my last visit here, I knew it was going to be tough. Though I did expect to see some odonates. All I did see was very little water and very few things flying around. It was simply too cold and dull. I spent only an hour there before I gave up and moved on. I didn't even get my camera out of the bag!

 

Nam Nao Headquarter's stream (added species from the last visit, bold; new species for the stream, blue; species not seen from last visit, red)

Family: Chlorocyphidae

Rhinocypha biforata ♂ [1]

Family: Euphaeidae

Euphaea ochracea ♂ [2]

Family: Platycnemididae

Coeliccia chromothorax ♂ [1]

Copera vittata ♂ ♀ [common]

 

Location 3: Exposed stream 15 kms from Headquarters, Nam Nao National Park, Petchabun. 

Date: Saturday,  19th January, 2013.
Weather: Sunny and warm (by now)

Expectations of recording additional species (for my list): Less than zero

Leech bites: 0 

Unperturbed by the silence at the HQ stream, I asked the Rangers if there were any other streams. They pointed me in the direction of a stream I hadn't visited - or even knew existed - before. It was an arduous dirty and bumpy 15 kms trip along a dirt path to get there, but well worth it. Upon arrival I instantly got my second wind. A nice looking river that had lots of exposed areas. Great. I could even see what looked like a new species hovering above the stream. There were about 10 yellowish males carrying out battles in the sky. Unfortunately, I couldn't catch one of them in my net. They looked a little bit like Pantala flavescens, but they seemed too small, and too acrobatic. They were also extremely fast movers and never seemed to stop moving. Hopefully I can find out what they were next time I visit. 

 

That said, it was busy with activity all the way along the stream and it was January! I'm hoping to return in the rainy season and I may even be lucky enough to spot a few new species - it just feels right there. 

Here are the best photos of the new location:

 

This female is only the second I've managed to photograph and is an improvement over the last, even though it's still not the best. She was hanging around a tiny ditch along the forest path to the stream.

 

These were commonplace.

 

Even the females made a showing ... this one is ovipositing with a male guarding her and his territory (a floating branch)

One of 3 species of Chlorocyphidae I saw in the short time I was there.



Here's what I saw at the new stream (P. congener, C. lineata calverti and D. trivialis I saw in forested area en route to the stream):

Calopterygidae
Neurobasis chinensis (common)

 

Chlorocyphidae
Rhinocypha fenestrella (fairly common)
Rhinocypha biforata (fairly common)
Rhinocypha perforata limbata (common)

 

Platycnemididae
Copera marginipes (common)

 

Protoneuridae
Prodasineura autumnalis (common)

 

Libellulidae
Cratilla lineata calverti (uncommon)
Diplacodes trivialis (very common)
Neurothemis fulvia (uncommon)
Neurothemis intermedia atalanta (very common)
Orthetrum chrysis (common)
Orthetrum glaucum (common)
Orthetrum pruinosum neglectum (common)
Orthetrum sabina sabina (uncommon)
Potamarcha congener (common)
Trithemis aurora (common)
Trithemis festiva (common)
Zygonyx iris malayana (uncommon)

Unidentified sp. (there were about 10 individuals soaring high above the stream)