Blue Marsh Hawk (Orthetrum glaucum)

OTHER NAMES: Common Blue Skimmer

Latin Etymology: Orthetrum (?) glaucum ("blue-grey")

Adult Blue Marsh Hawk (Orthetrum glaucum) at Genting Highlands, Malaysia - July 2016

Featured Subspecies: N/A
Length: 44-50mm  /  Wingspan: 100-140mm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

A fairly common resident of tropical and subtropical Asia, it is a species which is capable of living in disturbed habitat and so is fairly successful.  It seems to be fairly variable, as while trying to locate pictures of this species I've seen a selection of colourations of both the body and the eyes.

Related Species: 
Order: Odonata
Family: Libellulidae
Genus: Orthetrum
SUBSPECIES: none - monotypic 

 - Sighting Locations -

MALAYSIA - A widespread resident.

 - MALAYSIA/SINGAPORE 2016 TRIP: A several at Genting Highlands

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Blue Ground Skimmer (Diplacodes trivialis)

OTHER NAMES: Chalky Percher, Blue Percher

Latin Etymology: Diplacodes (?) trivialis ("common")

Adult female Blue Ground Skimmer (Diplacodes trivialis) at Malacca, Malaysia - July 2016

Featured Subspecies: N/A
Length: 30-34mm  /  Wingspan: 45-50mm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern  

The Blue Ground Skimmer is a comparatively common species in Malaysia, it has a high degree of sexual dimorphism with the male being the blue that the name suggests while the female is far more predominantly yellow.  It is found thoughout Southern Asia and Australia.  This species breeds in wide varieties of water bodies including ponds, lakes, rice fields and irrigation canals.

Related Species:
Order: Odonata 
Family: Libellulidae 
Genus: Diplacodes 
SUBSPECIES: none - monotypic 

 - Sighting Locations -

MALAYSIA - A locally common resident.

 - MALAYSIA/SINGAPORE 2016 TRIP: Several in Malacca

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Spine-legged Redbolt (Rhodothemis rufa)

OTHER NAMES: Rufous Marsh Glider, Common Redbolt, Ruby Darter

Latin Etymology: Rhodothemis (?) rufa ("red")

Adult male Spine-legged Redbolt (Rhodothemis rufa) at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - July 2016

Featured Subspecies: N/A
Length: 31mm  /  Wingspan: ?
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

A common dragonfly of much of South-East Asia, despite the name, only the male is red, white the female is brown with a distinctive white stripe running from the tip of it's tail up it's back. The spine-legged redbolt can be found in fairly disturbed habitats such as the parks in the centre of Kuala Lumpur.

Related Species:
Order: Odonata 
Family: Libellulidae 
Genus: Rhodothemis 
SUBSPECIES: none - monotypic 

 - Sighting Locations -

MALAYSIA - Malay - ?

A widespread resident

 - MALAYSIA/SINGAPORE 2016 TRIP: Several in Kuala Lumpur

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Green Marsh Hawk (Orthetrum sabina)

OTHER NAMES: Slender Skimmer, Variegated Green Skimmer
Latin Etymology: Orthetrum ("straight tool") sabina (after a group of women from Roman myth)

Mating pair of Green Marsh Hawk (Orthetrum sabina) at Sungei Buloh, Singapore - February 2019

Featured Subspecies: ?
Weight: ?  /    Length: 3.5cm  /  Wingspan: 6-8.5cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

I must admit, by dragonfly standards the green marsh hawk is certainly on the subtler end - it has an almost damselfly like patternation, but with green replacing the blue, and a good deal larger than those species.  My single encounter of this species was at a shallow pool near the entrance of Sungei Buloh, where this pair had their attention on other things.

Related Species:
Order: Odonata
Family: Libellulidae
Genus: Orthetrum
SUBSPECIES: unclear?

 - Sighting Locations -

SINGAPORE - A fairly common resident

 - CAMBODIA/SINGAPORE 2019 TRIP:Two at Sungei Buloh

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Ditch Jewel (Brachythemis contaminata)

OTHER NAMES: Asian Groundling, Asian Amberwing
Latin Etymology: Brachythemis ("short divine law") contaminata ("contaminated")

Adult male Ditch Jewel (Brachythemis contaminata) at Prek Toal, Cambodia - February 2019

Featured Subspecies: ?
Weight: ?  /  Length: 2.1cm  /  Wingspan: 4.6cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

A common species of dragonfly found throughout South-East Asia, it was by far the most abundant species we saw at Prek Toal, with large numbers of individuals particularly around the viewing platform, though unfortunately none were willing to stop still long enough to take a good clear photo of.

Related Species:
Order: Odonata
Family: Libellulidae
Genus: Brachythemis
SUBSPECIES: unclear?

 - Sighting Locations -

CAMBODIA - Khmer - ?
A common resident.

 - CAMBODIA/SINGAPORE 2019 TRIP: Common at Prek Toal

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Common Picture Wing (Rhyothemis variegata)

OTHER NAMES: Variegated Flutterer
Latin Etymology: Rhyothemis ("irregular law giver"?) variegata ("variagated")

Adult Common Picture Wing (subspecies R. v. variegata) at Phnom Krom, Cambodia - February 2019

Featured Subspecies: Rhyothemis variegata variegata
Weight: ?  /  Length: 2.5cm  /  Wingspan: 5-7.5cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

A species which is highly visually distinct from any species I'd seen before - it's unusual patchwork patterning of black and gold on it's wings makes it appear almost butterfly like.  They were locally common, being common at various locations in and around Angkor Thom where they hunted over the ruins, as well as in the marshes of Phnom Krom.

Related Species:
Order: Odonata
Family: Libellulidae
Genus: Rhyothemis
SUBSPECIES: R. v. variegata, R. v. arria, R. v. imperatrix

 - Sighting Locations -

CAMBODIA - Khmer - ? 
Common resident

SINGAPORE / CAMBODIA 2019 TRIP - Common at  Phnom Krom and Angkor Thom

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Common Parasol (Neurothemis fluctuans)

OTHER NAMES: Red Grasshawk, Grasshawk Dragonfly
Latin Etymology: Neurothermis ("warm divine law"?) fluctuans ("wave")

Adult male Common Parasol (Neurothemis fluctuans) at Sungei Buloh, Singapore - February 2019

Featured Subspecies: ?
Weight: ?  /  Length: 3.5cm  /  Wingspan: 7.5cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

A very striking species of dragonfly found commonly throughout South-East Asia, it shares it's range with the similar Neurothemis terminata which I must admit I am not 100% sure I have correctly differentiated from (although some of the more subtle details seem to match fluctuans better).  This individual was just outside the main visitor centre at Sungei Buloh, enjoying the shallow pond.

Related Species:
Order: Odonata
Family: Libellulidae
Genus: Neurothemis
SUBSPECIES: unknown?

 - Sighting Locations -

SINGAPORE - A common resident

 - CAMBODIA/SINGAPORE 2019 TRIP:Several at Sungei Buloh

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Foot-tipped Darter (Sympetrum eroticum)

OTHER NAMES: N/A

Latin Etymology: Sympetrum (?) eroticum ("erotic")

Adult male Foot-tipped Darter (subspecies S. e. eroticum) at Kyoto Imperial Palace Gardens, Kyoto, Japan - June 2013

Featured Subspecies: Sympetrum eroticum eroticum
Length: 30-42mm  /  Wingspan: 70mm
UK Status: Not Present / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

While watching birds at a small water fountain in Kyoto's Imperial Palace Garden, a small number of these dragonflies were patrolling the area, occasionally landing on the plants long enough to get a proper look at them.  This species took a fair bit of identifying - though it does have an English name (though to what "foot-topped" refers, I don't know) but it ultimately involved going through a list of Japanese dragonflies until I narrowed it down to the right one.  This species seems fairly variable in colour, ranging from bright yellow to bright red and anything in between, as with this individual.

Related Species:
Order: Odonata
Family: Libellulidae
Genus: Sympetrum
SUBSPECIES: S. e. ardens, S. e. eroticum

- Sighting Locations -

JAPAN - Japanese - マユタ テア カネ  /  Mayutateakane

Locally common resident

 - KYOTO/OSAKA 2013 TRIP: Seen in Kyoto.

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Blue-tailed Forest Hawk (Orthetrum triangulare)

OTHER NAMES: Lesser Blue Skimmer, Triangle Skimmer

Latin Etymology: Orthetrum (?) triangulare ("triangular")

Adult Blue-tailed Forest Hawk (subspecies O. t. triangulare) at Arashiyama, Kyoto Japan - July 2013

Featured Subspecies: Orthetrum triangulare triangulare
Length: ?  /  Wingspan: ?
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

The Blue-tailed Forest Hawk is a fairly common Dragonfly in Japan - it is found in mountainous forest habitats, where it breeds in small ponds.  This particular individual was found on the rocky paths in the foothills near Arashiyama feeding on the insects on the track up to the Monkey Sanctuary.  For a large dragonfly, it was fairly tolerant of humans and allowed some fairly close views.

Related Species:
Order: Odonata
Family: Libellulidae
Genus: Orthetrum
SUBSPECIES: O. t. triangulare, O. c.malaccense

- Sighting Locations -

JAPAN - Japanese - 大潮カラートンボ  /  Ooshio-kara-tombo ("Fish Colour Dragonfly")

Resident seen in Summer..

 - KYOTO/OSAKA 2013 TRIP: A single individual at Arashiyama.

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto
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Black-tailed Skimmer (Orthetrum cancellatum)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Orthetrum (?) cancellatum ("latticed")

Adult Black-tailed Skimmer (subspecies O. c. cancellatum) at Rainham Marshes, London - July 2011

Featured Subspecies: Orthetrum cancellatum cancellatum
Length: 44-50mm  /  Wingspan: 77mm
UK Status: Not Evaluated / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

The male is one of the attractive blue species of dragonfly found in this country, while the female is yellow and black. Differentiated from the other similarly coloured species by the specifics of the black and the bodyshape, it apparently favours bodies of water with open edges where it can land.

Related Species:
Order: Odonata 
Family: Libellulidae 
Genus: Orthetrum 
SUBSPECIES: O. c. cancellatum, O. c. kraepelini, O. c.orientale

- Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - A common resident species which is seen in Summer

 - Seen in Rainham Marshes and various other sites

Further Notes:  BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Four-spotted Chaser (Libellula quadrimaculata)

OTHER NAMES: Four-spotted Skimmer, Four-spotted Libellula
Latin Etymology: Libellula (?) quadrimaculata ("four marked")

Adult Four-spotted Chaser (subspecies L. q. quadrimaculata) at Brigstock, Northants - July 2011

Featured Subspecies: Libellula quadrimaculata quadrimaculata
Length: 39-48mm  /  Wingspan: 76mm
UK Status: Not Evaluated / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

The Four-spotted Chaser is a more aquatic based species than other of the more common ones. It is a comparatively drab species which can be identified by the namesake 4 black spots on its wings. It is found over shallow pools.  It is predated by larger species such Emperor Dragonfly.

Related Species:
Order: Odonata 
Family: Libellulidae 
Genus: Libellula 
SUBSPECIES: L. q. asahinai, L. q. gregorievi, L. q. orientalis, L. q. quadrimaculata

- Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - A common resident species which is seen in Summer

 - Seen in Brigstock

Further Notes:  BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto
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Broad-bodied Chaser (Libellula depressa)

OTHER NAMES: Broad-bodied Darter
Latin Etymology: Libellula ("dragonfly") depressa ("suppressed")

Adult male Broad-bodied Chaser (Libellula depressa - unknown subspecies) at Geddington, Northants - June 2010

Featured Subspecies: N/A
Length: 39-48mm  /  Wingspan: 70mm
UK Status: Not Evaluated / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

A distinctive dragonfly which lives up to its name in indeed having a distinctive broad body - which makes it a lot bulkier than most dragonflies. This above specimen is a male, the females are an ochre-ey yellow. It is supposedly relatively common, but I have only encountered one once.

Related Species:
Order: Odonata 
Family: Libellulidae 
Genus: Libellula
SUBSPECIES: L. d. depressa, L. d. taurica

- Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - A fairly common resident species which is seen in Summer

 - Seen in Geddington

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Common Darter (Sympetrum striolatum)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Sympetrum (?) striolatum ("striated")

Adult Common Darter (subspecies S. s. striolatum) at Geddington, Northants - August 2009

Featured Subspecies: Sympetrum striolatum striolatum
Length: 38-43mm  /  Wingspan: 57mm
UK Status: Not Evaluated / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

Common darters are one of the more numerous dragonflies in Europe. They show a large amount of dimorphism between the sexes - the above picture is a female while males are bright red.  Another species that has a broad range throughout Europe, the Common Darter is on the wing from June to December in Northern Europe.

Related Species:
Order: Odonata 
Family: Libellulidae 
Genus: Sympetrum 
SUBSPECIES: S. s. doshidordzii, S. s. imitoides, S. s. kurile, S. s. pallidum, S. s. striolatum

- Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - A common resident species which is seen in Summer

 - Seen in Geddington and various other sites

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Hudsonian whiteface (Leucorrhinia hudsonica)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Leucorrhinia ("white nose") hudsonica (of the Hudson) 

Adult male Hudsonian whiteface (Leucorrhinia hudsonica) in Alberta, Canada - August 2024

Featured Subspecies: N/A
Weight: ?  /  Length: 3cm  /  Wingspan: ?
NO UK STATUS /  IUCN Red List: Not Yet Evaluated 

Despite the name, the Hudsoniah Whiteface isn't overly connected to the Hudson Bay, with other significant populations centres being in New England, the Great Lakes and the Rockies. The female is differentiated from the male shown here by having yellow panels replacing the red ones.

Related Species:
Order: Odonata 
Family: Libellulidae 
Genus: Leucorrhinia 
SUBSPECIES: none - monotypic 

 - Sighting Locations -

CANADA -Widespread
  - CHICAGO TO ALASKA ROADTRIP 2024: - One seen in Alberta

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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Eight-spotted skimmer (Libellula forensis)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Libellula ("dragonfly") forensis

Adult Eight-spotted skimmer (Libellula forensis) in Montana, USA- July 2024

Featured Subspecies: N/A
Weight: ?  /  Length: 44-50mm  /  Wingspan: ?
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

A species largely of the Western United States found from South Dakota into Alberta in the North and California in the South. They are on the wing from April to October. The spotting of the name refers to the dark spots on each side, however, it is also noteworthy in this regard as one of the few skimmer species to have white wing spots on both male and female individuals. It is a near endemic of the USA, only just crossing the Canadian border.

Related Species:
Order: Odonata 
Family: Libellulidae 
Genus: Libellula 
SUBSPECIES: none - monotypic 

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED STATES - Found in Western Lower 48
 - CHICAGO TO ALASKA ROADTRIP 2024: Seen in Montana

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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Ruddy Darter (Sympetrum sanguineum)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Sympetrum (?) sanguineum ("bloody")

Adult male Ruddy Darter (Symperum sangiuneum) at Winterton-on-Sea, Norfolk - July 2023

Featured Subspecies: ?
Length: 3.4-3.6cm  /  Wingspan: 6cm
UK STATUS NOT EVALUATED/ IUCN Red List: Least Concern

A widespread but local species of dragonfly, the Ruddy Darter iss similar in appearance to the Common Darter, but possesses all black legs and and a more "waisted" abdomen. It's range in the UK is currently expanding Northward, likely due to climate change.  

Related Species:
Order: Odonata
Family: Libellulidae
Genus: Sympetrum
SUBSPECIES: ?

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - A common residet of much of England
 - Seen at various sites

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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Widow skimmer (Libellula luctuosa)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Libellula ("dragonfly") luctuosa ("mourning")

Adult male Widow skimmer (Libellula luctuosa) at St. Charles, Illinois - August 2024

Featured Subspecies: N/A
Weight: ?  /  Length: 2.4-3.2cm  /  Wingspan: ?
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

A species associated with bodies of water with muddy layers at the bottom such as ponds, lakes and slow running streams. The male can be differentiated by the white markings on the wings which the females lack. The most common explanation for the name is the black colouration, however, I've seen references online claiming “This dragonfly got the “widow” name because, unlike most other dragonfly species where the male stays near the female after she lays the eggs, the male in this pair leaves her after the eggs have been laid.” - however to me this sounds likely apocryphal.

Related Species:
Order: Odonata 
Family: Libellulidae 
Genus: Libellula
SUBSPECIES: none - monotypic 

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED STATES - Found across most of the Lower 48, excluding the Rockies, Florida and the Northern Plains
 - CHICAGO TO ALASKA ROADTRIP 2024: Seen in Illinois

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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