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.

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)

Nam Nao: A Year in the Making (December)

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

Date: Saturday,  15th December, 2012.
Weather: Misty,  cold and wet - then fairly hot

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

Leech bites: 4 

In the penultimate month of my project, you could have been forgiven for thinking that you were in the UK. It was cold, wet, misty and freezing ... like a typical summer in England! For two hours I searched for odonates, hoping to spot one full of early morning dew. I didn't spot one and I wonder where they were. Probably high up in the trees, keeping off the wet saturated ground. Still, even though the place was void of odonates, there were a few photo opportunities to be had.

No dragonflies anywhere for a couple of hours, but I saw some nice photo opportunities:

Eventually, the sun appeared and so, too, did the odonates. It was still rather quiet, but as the sun got stronger, the more common species appeared in decent numbers. The only addition was a solitary male Ischnura aurora, which have returned following a lengthy absence (though he was off before I'd got my camera ready).  Agriocnemis pygmea had also returned in their droves, but I didn't spot a single Ceriagrion sp. Other than that, it was common species (for the lake) all the way.

Unfortunately for some, those beautiful webs spelled the end of the road ...

You wait two hours for a dragonfly and then 4 come at once ... I've never spotted 4 species on one stick before

A. tillyardi, close up ... you've got to love the blues and purples. According to Noppadon Makbun, it's one of only a few species in Thailand that have a violet colour.

A. borneense, female (as I will group all of them for now), very scarce at Nam Nao this year.

A. nana, female still going strong - even at this time of year.

Argiocnemis rubescens rubeola, a very old female ... she was almost white.

I now know for sure that it's B. farinosa with 8 antenodal crossveins (thanks Noppadon/Oleg).

Neurothemis intermedia, male - now very common (but I still haven't spotted a mature male here)

Neurothemis tullia tullia, young male - there were so many very young, brownish coloured males 

Pseudagrion r. rubriceps, female - the males are now back in high numbers

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 ♂  [extremely common]

Aciagrion borneense ♀♂ [uncommon]

Aciagrion pallidum

Agriocnemis femina femina ♂ ♀ [common]

Agriocnemis nana ♀♂ [ fairly common]

Agriocnemis pygmea ♂ ♀ [extremely common]

Argiocnemis rubescens rubeola ♂♀ [fairly common]

Ceriagrion indochinense

Ischnura aurora ♂ [1]

Ischnura senegalensis ♂ ♀ [uncommon]

Onychargia atrocyana ♂ ♀ [uncommon]

Pseudagrion microcephalum

Pseudagrion australasiae

Pseudagrion rubriceps rubriceps ♂ ♀ [ very common]

Fam. Platycnemididae

Copera ciliata ♂ ♀ [extremely common]

Copera marginipes ♂♀ [common]

Fam. Protoneuridae

Prodasineura autumnalis ♂ ♀ [very common]

Fam. Gomphidae

Ictinogomphus decoratus

Fam. Libellulidae

Acisoma panorpoides panorpoides ♂ ♀ [very common]
Brachydiplax farinosa ♂ ♀ [♂ very common]

Brachythemis contaminata ♂ ♀ [very common]

Crocothemis servilia ♂ ♀ [fairly common]

Diplacodes nebulosa ♂ ♀ [very common]

Diplacodes trivialis ♂ ♀ [common]

Indothemis carnatica

Indothemis limbata (Selys, 1891) ♂ [♂ extremely common]

Neurothemis intermedia atalanta ♂ [very common]

Orthetrum pruinosum neglectum ♂ [fairly common]

Neurothemis tullia tullia ♂ ♀ [extremely common]

Orthetrum glaucum

Orthetrum sabina sabina ♂♀ [very common]

Rhodothemis rufa

Tholymis tillarga 

Trithemis aurora ♂ ♀ [extremely common]

Trithemis pallidinervis

 Location 2: Tiny natural pond, 1 kms from entrance to Nam Nao National Park HQ, Petchabun. 

Date: Saturday, 15th November, 2012.
Weather: hot and bright sunshine

Expectations of recording additional species (for my list): Zero

Leech bites: 0

As I approached my second location (the stream at the headquarters), I was greeted by around 15 coaches and 6-7 cars all trying to get into the park. I knew that it would be quiet at the stream by now and with the addition of about 10 million people arriving en masse, I decided to give the place a wide birth. I carried on past the entrance, looking for a place to turn. There was a small exit which led to a locked gate. Amazingly, there was a tiny, natural pond next to it. I got out of the car and instantly noticed a male Tramea transmarina, constantly gliding over the water. Every time the sun went behind a cloud, he would fly high into the treetops. When the sun came out again, he would resume constant flying above the water. I tried to catch him with my net, but he was way too quick for me. Diplacodes trivialis was also present, as was a solitary Potamarcha congener. Two male Orthetrum pruinosum neglectum constantly harassed the Tramea transmarina. Then I noticed a large number of teneral damselflies a one edge of the pond. As I approached they all moved away quickly and I didn't get close to any of them. In any case, they were almost clear in colour and I would not have been able to ID them. I will return there next month and hopefully spot a few adults. They were large in size and could have been Lestes elatus (there was a solitary male there). However, they didn't seem to fit the bill. Finally, I spotted a male Aciagrion borneense. I managed to capture him and take a few photos. It was a pleasant surprise to find the pond and added 2 new species for the area with Tramea transmarina and Potamarcha congener.

The solitary male Lestes elatus

Quick checklist of species sighted (good prospect for next flight season): 

Aciagrion borneense ♂ [1]

Lestes elatus ♂ [1]

Diplacodes trivialis ♂ [4]

Potamarcha congener ♂ [1]

Orthetrum pruinosum neglectum ♂ [2]

Tramea transmarina ♂ [1]

 Location 3: Small stream, 1 kms from entrance to Nam Nao National Park, Petchabun (Chumpae entrance). 

Date: Saturday, 15th November, 2012.
Weather: hot and bright sunshine

Expectations of recording additional species (for my list): Zero

Leech bites: 0

On way way home I decided to stop at one of the streams which run along the base of Nam Nao NP. It was a little bit tricky to get down to, but it was well worth it. There weren't that many specimens there, but there were a number of species ... and I hope it will be a good place to look at next year. Most were common species, but I did spot a male Rhinagrion viridatum. He only landed momentarily, but it was enough for a positive visual ID. I only managed to get some decent photos of Copera marginipes, which were still abundant. 

I only got photos of C. marginipes as a copula, but some are quite interesting:

Quick checklist of species sighted (good prospect for next flight season - it looks perfect with lots of trees and rocks): 

Neurobasis chinensis  ♀ [1]

Pseudagrion rubriceps rubriceps  ♂ [1]

Heliocypha biforata  ♂ [1]

Euphaea masoni  ♂ ♀ [very common]

Euphaea ochracea  ♂ [1]

Rhinagrion viridatum  ♂ [1]

Copera marginipes  ♂ ♀ [very common]

Prodasineura autumnalis  ♂ ♀ [very common]

Next trip: January