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Anacridium is a genus of "tree locusts" or "bird grasshoppers" belonging to the subfamily Cyrtacanthacridinae. These grasshoppers are slightly larger than the regular green grasshoppers and as opposed to being found among grass, they can be found perched on stems and twigs of low-hanging tree branches. The adult male of the species grow up to 4.5 cm long, and the adult female may reach 5.5 cm. The body of the adult is generally yellow-brown in colour.

Rapacious Flangetail, Common Clubtail and Asian Tiger are some of the commonly used names for the Ictinogomphus rapax. Male and female Ictinogomphus rapax are similar in appearance. Black and yellow are the colours on their bodies, and thus these insects are somewhat reminiscent of hornets. The abdomens are slightly arched. The abdomens also have lateral flanges near the tip, more pronouncedly so in the males—hence one of this species’ common names. The eyes of this gomphid dragonfly are of a muted blue that reminds one of birds’ eggs or of chinaware.

Flying Fox (Pteropus medius)

This damselfly is readily identified by its unmarked yellow abdomen. The male and female are similar in appearance except that the colour of the abdomen is brighter in the male. The thorax and eyes are green. This species has a reputation for killing and feeding upon relatively large insects such as small butterflies and other damselflies. This is rather in contrast with its aesthetic appearance.

The Copera marginipes is commonly known as Yellow Bush Dart, Rimmed Feather Leg and Yellow Feather Leg. The general impression of an adult male Copera marginipes is of an insect with yellow legs, a dark, slim, white-tipped abdomen and a head and thorax with light markings. A closer examination will reveal the light marks to be yellow. The female insect differs in having a relatively stout abdomen and in being duller. The colour is brown of various shades. Both male and female individuals have some black markings. Copera marginipes breeds both in still water (ponds, marshes) and in streams.

This dragonfly is commonly known as the Blue Ground Percher, Blue Percher or the Ground Skimmer. Older males of this species are blue, marked with black; in females the blue is replaced by yellowish green. Younger males are similar to females. The blue colouring of the older male Diplacodes trivialisis caused by pruinescence (frosted in appearance). Diplacodes trivialisis is usually found settled on bare spots in open spaces and wanders far from water. This species has also been observed to make migratory flights.

Commonly known as Pruinosed Bloodtail, Asiatic Bloodtail and Long-winged Skimmer, Lathrecista asiatica 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…

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…

The Copera marginipes is commonly known as Yellow Bush Dart, Rimmed Feather Leg and Yellow Feather Leg. The general impression of an adult male Copera marginipes is of an insect with yellow legs, a dark, slim, white-tipped abdomen and a head and thorax with light markings. A closer examination will reveal the light marks to be yellow. The female insect differs in having a relatively stout abdomen and in being duller. The colour is brown of various shades. Both male and female individuals have some black markings. Copera marginipes breeds both in still water (ponds, marshes) and in streams.

The Copera marginipes is commonly known as Yellow Bush Dart, Rimmed Feather Leg and Yellow Feather Leg. The general impression of an adult male Copera marginipes is of an insect with yellow legs, a dark, slim, white-tipped abdomen and a head and thorax with light markings. A closer examination will reveal the light marks to be yellow. The female insect differs in having a relatively stout abdomen and in being duller. The colour is brown of various shades. Both male and female individuals have some black markings. Copera marginipes breeds both in still water (ponds, marshes) and in streams.

Although termites are often called "white ants", they are not ants, and are not closely related to ants. Like ants and some bees and wasps from the separate order Hymenoptera, termites divide as "workers" and "soldiers" that are usually sterile. All colonies have fertile males called "kings" and one or more fertile females called "queens". Termites mostly feed on dead plant material and cellulose, generally in the form of wood, leaf litter, soil, or animal dung. Most termites construct underground colonies rather than multifunctional nests and mounds. Once a year millions of termites explode…

The Copera marginipes is commonly known as Yellow Bush Dart, Rimmed Feather Leg and Yellow Feather Leg. The general impression of an adult male Copera marginipes is of an insect with yellow legs, a dark, slim, white-tipped abdomen and a head and thorax with light markings. A closer examination will reveal the light marks to be yellow. The female insect differs in having a relatively stout abdomen and in being duller. The colour is brown of various shades. Both male and female individuals have some black markings. Copera marginipes breeds both in still water (ponds, marshes) and in streams.

Aethriamanta brevipennis is considered a local and somewhat rare species. This species was spotted only at IIT Madras, and just a few times. This dragonfly has a black head and thorax. It also has a small red spot on the back leg. These two characters, along with its small size, will serve to identify the species. The short abdomen of the female is ochre-coloured, with black transverse bands. The immature male resembles the female but lacks the dark bands.

The Copera marginipes is commonly known as Yellow Bush Dart, Rimmed Feather Leg and Yellow Feather Leg. The general impression of an adult male Copera marginipes is of an insect with yellow legs, a dark, slim, white-tipped abdomen and a head and thorax with light markings. A closer examination will reveal the light marks to be yellow. The female insect differs in having a relatively stout abdomen and in being duller. The colour is brown of various shades. Both male and female individuals have some black markings. Copera marginipes breeds both in still water (ponds, marshes) and in streams.

The female Urothemis signata dragonflies have golden and ochreous thoraces and abdomens. There are much bolder black spots and bands on the abdomen than in the males. The combination of colours of the female puts me in mind of a striped big-cat.