Photographs

Asiatic Bloodtail (Lathrecista asiatica) (female)

Flora & Fauna

This is one of several species of dragonfly in which the body or wings are predominantly red. The colour schemes of the males and females are similar: The thorax is dark, marked with broad light-coloured stripes, and the abdomen is red, with a black tip. The shape of the abdomen—it is long and uniformly thin—is sufficiently conspicuous for it to be a character that distinguishes the species. The thorax of the male gets pruinosed (frosted in appearance) with age till it gets blue in colour and the underlying stripes are invisible. There is some variability in the colour of the female—the abdomen may be brownish. This species becomes abundant immediately after the rains of the north-east monsoon. This insect is also known to be shy insect.