Photographs

Picturewing (Rhyothemis variegata) (male)

Flora & Fauna

Rhyothemis variegata is a striking species with a bold colour pattern. The body is dark, and the long wings are boldly marked with yellow and black patches. The patterns are strongly reminiscent of butterflies. Rishworth found the species common at St. Thomas Mount during February–March 1919. Rishworth found Rhyothemis variegata at other locations also: ‘In all my excursions in this neighbourhood I saw only one specimen of this tribe (Rhyothemis), flying high in the gardens of the Agri-Horticultural Society, Mount Road, Madras. The Chetpet Railway station, however, literally swarmed with these beautiful insects.’ The species was recorded by Peters when he visited Madras in May 1979.