Showing posts with label Odonata. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Odonata. Show all posts

Friday, April 7, 2023

Fiery Emperor (Anax immaculifrons)

 An uncommon dragonfly occurs mainly in the hill country streams with pools as well as the tanks and lakes. But it can be found in low country wet zone and intermediate zones too. Rather common from March to May and August to October. When ovipositing female of this dragonfly insert her eggs into under water plant materials, while male hovering or flying close to her, sometimes also fighting with other rival males. 

Saturday, December 5, 2020

Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii)

 Rather rare insect confined to the marshes, swamps and lakes of the central hills (Mainly to the vicinity of Nuwaraeliya and Horton Plains National Park.) 

Wednesday, July 31, 2019

Monday, July 8, 2019

Drooping Shadowdamsel (Ceylonosticta lankanensis)

Commonest Shadowdamsel of Sri Lanka occurs from lowlands to mid-hills of southwestern part of the country in both forested steams as well as the disturbed habitats. It is also endemic to the island as all other Shadowdamsels. 

Sunday, July 7, 2019

Dark Forestdamsel (Platysticta apicalis)

Locally common insect inhabiting streams and rivulets of southwestern and central forested areas from lowlands to mid-hills. It occurs mainly during April to September. (Bedjanic, M., K. et. al. 2014)

Saturday, July 6, 2019

Thursday, July 4, 2019

Adam's Shadowdamsel (Ceylonosticta adami)

Adam's Shadowdamsel is one of the rarest endemic damselfly so far recorded only from few localities of the Knuckles range and its outskirts in the north-central part of the country . It was originally described from specimens collected from Madugoda near Urugalla in 1932 by F.C. Fraser.  After more than seven decades Karen Conniff observed and photographed it in Simpson's forest near Hunnasfalls in April 2006 and again in October 2007 and 2010. Karen Conniff and Matjaz Bedjanic observed a single juvenile female near Urugalla in end of May 2009. Matjaz Bedjanic also reported it from two streams in Simpson's forest in October 2012. Above pictures were taken at Dothalugala Camp Site area of the Knuckles mountain range.

Wednesday, July 3, 2019

Serendib Forestdamsel (Platysticta serendibica)

Common endemic damselfly inhabiting small streams in secondary and primary forests as well as the degraded habitats of the central and southwestern parts of the country. Much common in the wet low country but occurs also up to about 1000 m a.s.l. in the hills.  

Thursday, June 6, 2019

Triangle Skimmer (Orthetrum triangulare triangulare)

Rather rare dragonfly found in marshes, streams and pools of the higher elevations in the Knuckles range and Central hills. Isolated records also available from Nakiyadeniya, Hiyare and Kanneliya.

Monday, August 29, 2016

Black-tipped Percher (Diplacodes nebulosa)

Rather uncommon dragonfly usually found perch on grasses or sticks in wet lowland areas such as marshes, ponds, tanks and nearby vegetation, in all climatic zones.  It occurs all the year round though much common during May and June. As per Bedjanic M, et. al., 2014 the lack of recent records of this dragonfly in the north and east is probably due to less intensive field works in that part of the island, though there are some old records from those areas as well. This individual was photographed at Batticaloa of eastern province in a lawn close to the old Dutch fort on 8th August 2016 confirming its inhabitancy in the eastern part of the country. 

Friday, April 29, 2016

Sri Lankan Cascader (Zygonyx iris ceylonicus)

An endemic dragonfly rather common at mid elevations of the southwestern wet zone. Also occurs in the intermediate zone, but absent in the coastal areas and higher hills. Fast flowing water near waterfalls and cascades are the preferred habitats of this rather large size cascader. It can be seen gliding continuously over the water with swift turns in such habitats. 

Wednesday, March 23, 2016

Sapphire Fluterer (Rhyothemis triangularis)

Rather rare dragonfly found in marshes, ditches, tanks and slow moving rivers, mainly in the low country wet zone. But there are records also from drier parts of the island. 

Friday, August 7, 2015

Lyrate Grappletail (Heliogomphus lyratus)

In June 1926 G,M, Henry collected a single male and female of this very rare and probably seasonal dragonfly from the Haldummulla. F.C. Fraser later on described it as a new Gomphidae species endemic to the Sri Lanka base on those specimens. For over 80 years till in May 2009 Matjaz Bedjanic's records of single male in Kitulgala and a female in Morawaka-Diyadawa road on the slopes of Diyadawa forest, that was the sole available information of this species.
  We could observe and photograph a Male and female on early April of 2015 at a small well shaded stream of Kukulugala proposed forest reserve in the Ratnapura district. Female was oviposting in a small water hole of the stream during our observation and male when disturbed rapidly flew directly upward up to certain height.

* Another single male observed end of May 2015 while settled on a leaf along the roadside from Athweltota to Rusigala in Kaluthara district, a rather disturbed and open habitat comparing to the all of above locations.

References:

de Fonseka, T. (2000). The dragonflies of Sri Lanka. Wildlife Heritage Trust: Colombo. 304 p. 

Fraser F.C. 1933 The Gomphines of Ceylon (Order Odonata), F.C. Fraser, Ceylon Journal of Science (B) Vol. XVIII, Pt 1 December 22, 1933 page 33 

Bedjanic, M., K. Conniff, N. van der Poorten & A. Salamun, 2014. Dragonfly fauna of Sri Lanka: Distribution and biology, with threat status of its endemics. Pensoft, Sofia. 321pp.

Friday, March 27, 2015

Rivulet Tiger (Gomphidia pearsoni)

Rivulet Tiger is the biggest of all endemic Clubtails. It occurs in streams, rivulets and rivers in the primary and secondary rain forests and adjacent less disturbed habitats in the central and southwestern part of the island. Distribution records also available from outskirt of Knuckles range and Diyaluma fall area of southeastern mid-hills. 

Friday, January 23, 2015

Blue Sprite (Pseudagrion microcephalum)

Very common damselfly occurs in ponds, tanks, marshlands, lagoons, paddy fields, channels,   brackish water and sometimes even in  polluted water from lowlands to mid-hills.  

Wednesday, January 7, 2015

Dingy Duskflyer (Zyxomma petiolatum)

An uncommon dragonfly inhabiting ponds, lakes, rivers, tanks and lagoons of lowland areas. It is a crepuscular dragonfly and active only during the dusk, while rest in thick scrub jungles during the day. Dingy Duskflyer is a fast flyer and feeds mainly on mosquitoes looping around over still water. 

Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Mountain Reedling (Indolestes gracilis gracilis)

Locally common damselfly confined to the central hills of the island between 1800 and 2500 elevations. It can be found at grassy edges of lakes and ponds. Indolestes gracilis gracilis is an endemic Sri Lankan subspecies. 

Sunday, November 9, 2014

Sombre Lieutenant (Brachydiplax sobrina)

Rather common dragonfly inhabiting weedy ponds, tanks, channels, lagoons and marshes mainly in the lowlands throughout the year. 

Saturday, October 4, 2014

Sri Lanka Cruiser (Macromia zeylanica)

Rather rare endemic dragonfly inhabiting streams and rivulets in the forests of southwestern lowlands up to mid hills. It is a fast-flying insect which flies low over pebbles of a stream or rivulet.