Photographs

Ditch Jewel (Brachythemis contaminata) (male)

Flora & Fauna

Brachythemis contaminata is commonly known as Common Amber Wing, Ditch Jewel, Orange-winged Groundling or Asian Groundling. The male dragonfly of this species has a large reddish orange patch on each wing. The wing-spots are also reddish. The body is also suffused with the conspicuous reddish orange of the wings, sometimes to such an extent that the underlying longitudinal stripes are not visible. The female is duller, being brownish yellow in colour. A black series of dashes runs along the upper surface of the abdomen. This line is flanked by other, lighter lines symmetrically. Although Brachythemis contaminata flies by day, it flies more actively towards evening.