Asian Groundling (Brachythemis contaminate)

Very common dragonfly of slow flowing streams, weedy tank edges and marshes from the sea level to mid-hills. Abdomen – 19-20mm and Wings – 22-23mm. Female is lighter in color and much yellowish with clear wings contrary to male figured above.

Asian Skimmer (Orthetrum glaucum)

Common dragonfly of hill country streams, ponds and marshes, not usually found in the plains. Characteristic dark face help to distinguish this dragonfly from similar other Skimmers. Abdomen about 32mm and hind wing 36mm.

Green Skimmer (Orthetrum sabina)

Very common insect of plains and submontane regions of the country. Usually encountered in weedy edges of tanks, irrigation channels, paddy fields and perennial and seasonal ponds where it breeds. Both male and female are similar in shape and color. The extraordinary swollen abdomen of this dragonfly is remarkable and a useful identification feature of it.

Asian Pintail(Acisoma panorpoides)

Asian Pintail is a very small dragonfly of lowland plains up to lower hills. It has a very weak and short flight and hence keeps close to vegetation around heavily weeded water bodies such as tanks, marshes etc. and breed on them without moving far away. It is about 15-18mm of body size (Abdomen) and wing span of 16-22mm. Juvenile female is pale ochreous and which is replaced by azure blue of both sexes of adults.

Ictinogomphus rapax(Rapacius Flangetail)

Rapacius Flangetail is a locally common dragonfly of tanks and paddy fields of low country up to mid hills. It is comparatively large insect of about 52mm of abdomen with appendages and wings with a span of 55-60mm. It breeds on both running and still water while preferring the latter. It is recorded from Kantalai, Wilpattu,Passara, Polonnaruwa,Kandy,Periyakulam, Haldummulla(Fonseka, 2000) and Anawilundawa(Personal observations)