Blue Marsh Hawk (Orthetrum glaucum, 黑尾灰蜻). Male.
An Asian orthetrum with a particularly beautiful frosty blue abdomen: especially on the older males. They are fairly common throughout southern China and much of subtropical and tropical Asia but, for whatever reason, I have never seen one in Changsha. This picture is from Fuzhou last August.
Wandering Glider (Pantala flavescens, 黄蜻).
The world's most widespread dragonfly: it can be found on every continent except Antarctica. Every year they undertake a multi-generational migration over thousands of kilometres. This was was hunting in the open grass of Wangling Park.
Sympetrum eroticum (竖眉赤蜻). Female.
While the male's abdomen is a vibrant red, the female's is a tigroid pattern of black and yellow. There are many of both sexes, around ponds and still waters throughout Changsha from late Summer to late Autumn.
Slender Skimmer (Orthetrum sabina, 狭腹灰蜻).
A species of orthetrum ranging from south-east Europe to Australia, it has clearly adapted to a variety of different environments. In summer, there are often a few around the local lakes; towards the end of summer they are easy to find around Yuelu Mountain and in the nearby forests, wherever there are ponds or pools of water--and often vigorously chasing away other species of dragonflies!
Saddlebag Glider (Tramea virginia, 华斜痣蜻).
Another Changsha dragonfly, though these skimmers are less common, at least in the lotus ponds I frequent in the summer. Named for the patch of colour on its hindwings, that the imaginative viewer might perceive as a 'saddlebag'.
Scarlet Skimmer (Crocothemis servilia, 红蜻).
The lotus ponds of August provide seemingly endless varieties of dragonflies. This colourful skimmer is in abundance all throughout all the still waters of Changsha.
Crimson-tailed Marsh Hawk (Orthetrum pruinosum, 赤褐灰蜻). Female.
Summer is still providing many dragonflies. This one was resting on a reed by the edge of Xiangjia Lake. The name 'crimson-tailed' is more appropriate to the male of the species, but the female has its own vibrant orange and yellow colours.
《小池》 楊萬里
泉眼無聲惜細流，‘Small Pond’
樹陰照水愛晴柔。
小荷才露尖尖角，
早有蜻蜓立上頭。
Springs quietly and sparingly trickle out.Translated by Qin Dachuan.
Tree shades dangle on water white and soft.
No sooner had the young lotus shot sprouts
Than the dragonflies alighted on their tops.
Greater Blue Skimmer (Orthetrum melania, 异色灰蜻). Female.
Another 'blue' dragonfly in which the females are in fact black and yellow. There are many of them out now, both by the lakes and throughout the forests, vigilant destroyers of nasty mosquitoes.
Deielia Phaon (异色多纹蜻). Female.
One of the smaller dragonflies of the summer ponds, the largest fall a little short of 5cm in length. The females have alternating black and yellow vertical stripes on their breasts, and a row of yellow vertical spots in the centre and on both sides of the back of abdominal segments 2 to 7. Some females are fully yellow and black, while others have also have some shade of powdery blue.
Oriental Blue Dasher (Brachydiplax chalybea, 蓝额疏脉蜻).
The female of the species is yellow with distinctive black markings. Sometimes this dragonfly is called a rufous-backed marsh hawk or a yellow-patched lieutenant, the latter name is most appropriate for both genders.
Butterfly Flutterer (Rhyothemis fuliginosa, 黑丽翅蜻).
A diminutive dragonfly, which is sometimes called the 'butterfly dragonfly'. The Chinese name means 'black-winged butterfly: whether is wings appear black or a shade of iridescent blue depends on which angle. For me they are a twilight creature, as while I might spot one or two during the day, they appear in more significant numbers around the lotus ponds in the evenings when the day begins to cool, and they disappear again before it is dark.
Burmagomphus sowerbyi (索氏缅春蜓).
An uncommon clubtail here in Changsha. I saw one by the Xiang river last August, first mistaking it for a common flangetail, before realizing, after it had flown away, that it was something rarer. Fortunately, I have just seen another one, almost at the same spot as last year.
Sympetrum eroticum (竖眉赤蜻). Male.
A summer meadowhawk, in July they frequent both the lakes and the woods of Yuelu Mountain. The males are bright red. Their Chinese name refers to black spots on their heads that look like raised eyebrows. The are common in China and Japan where they are called natsu-akane, the 'red dragonfly of summer'.
Pied Skimmer (Pseudothemis zonata, 玉带蜻. Male.
Summer is the season for dragonflies. There are of these medium-sized pied skimmers around by the lakes and streams. These are mostly black except for part of the abdomen, which is white on males and yellow on females.
Blue-tailed Forest Hawk (Orthetrum triangulare, 鼎脉灰蜻).
Visit the streams or stagnant ponds on or around Yuelu Mountain from now to September and you would be sure to find these forest dragonflies. They are very common in the forested hills throughout much of China and much of southeast Asia.
Ditch Jewel (Brachythemis contaminata, 黄翅蜻). Female.
Very common dragonfly: here and throughout much of Asia. The English and scientific names are a little pejorative. From late Spring through Autumn they are easy to find in the lily ponds and by the edges of the Xiang river.
I have been wondering recently when the dragonflies would emerge this Spring. So far I have seen only a few but yesterday at Taozi lake there were dozens of dragonfly exuviae on the leaves of lilacs and reeds growing near the shore. So the previous day, the nymphs must have emerged from the water and transformed into our first wave of mosquito-hunting ariel acrobats. Hopefully more are soon to come.
Crimson Dropwing (Trithemis aurora, 晓褐蜻). Male.
The males and females of this species are distinct in appearance. And the male, with his bright red thorax and subtle purple pruinescence, is one of the flashiest Changsha creatures. Sometimes they are crimson or scarlet red, sometimes they take on a more magenta hue. The males also always seem territorial and are quick to drive other dragonflies from their hunting grounds by the sides of streams or stagnant ponds. Yesterday where were many of these hunting throughout Yanghu Wetland Park (洋湖湿地公园).
Greater Blue Skimmer (Orthetrum melania, 异色灰蜻). Male.
I see them throughout the summer and autumn by the lakes and in the forest, but never (yet) by the river. There are other powder blue dragonflies about which bear a casual resemblance, but these greater blue skimmers are noticeable, even at a distance, for their size and in particular the great thickness of their tails.
