Two Aeshnid Larvae

I caught these two aeshnid larvae from a leafy forest pool in UKM Bangi campus - the forest pool where I discovered Podolestes orientalis larva. The first one is big, measuring up to 44 mm from head to tail, and it has not reached the maturity as the wing case has not well been developed. I suspect it is still in F1 stage. This larva looks like an Indaeschna grubaueri larva. If it is really an I. grubaueri, then I would be adding another species to the Odonata Checklist of Bangi Forest Reserve. I have yet seen an adult of I. grubaueri in Bangi Forest Reserve.

The second larva appears to be a matured larva with a size measuring up to 35 mm from head to tail. It doesn't look quite like a Gynacantha larva because it has a slim abdomen. Maybe I'm wrong.... it might be just a Gynacantha larva after all......

Anyway, both the larvae are male, and I am breeding them.


an Indaeschna grubaueri larva?
a Gynacantha larva?

P/S:
I have a second thought of the large aeshnid larva (the first photo above). I just feel that it doesn't seem to look truly like a Indaeschna grubaueri larva as the shape of head-eye of the large larva is just not matching too well. The head-eye shape of this large larva resembles that of Anax guttatus. However, the only trouble is that the abdominal segment joints of this larva resemble that of I. grubaueri not A. guttatus.

Pseudagrion australasiae in Wheel

I've finally managed to get some good shots on Pseudagarion australasiae in wheel.

Copera ciliata

There are three Copera species in Peninsular Malaysia - C. ciliata, C. marginipes and C. vittata. Among the three species, C. ciliata is the least common. Copera ciliata could be easily recognised by its light blue colour body with long white flatten legs. However, the immatured male is rather whitish colour and the female is a bit of redish. Copera ciliata is normally found at open grassy pond/lake and grassy forest stream.


a matured male adult with light blue body colour
an immatured male adult with whitish body colour
a female adult with redish body colour

Pitcher Plant - Nepenthes mirabilis

I break my rule today by posting something else from Odonata. Yes, I am showing you a plant - a beautiful pitcher plant. I was having a day out today to photograph Odonata in the UKM Bangi campus, and I accidentally bumped into a pitcher plant Nepenthes mirabilis. The pitcher plant is flowering and it is full of pitchers, and I just couldn't resist to snap a few shots on it.

Nepenthes mirabilis plant showing plentiful of pitchers
Nepenthes mirabilis plant with plentiful of pitchers
close up on a pitcher of Nepenthes mirabilis
close up on the lip of a pitcher of Nepenthes mirabilis
the flowers of Nepenthes mirabilis
close up on the flowers of Nepenthes mirabilis

Elattoneura mauros

Elattoneura mauros Dow, Choong & Ng 2010 is not from Peninsular Malaysia. It is a damselfly species from Sarawak (Borneo). This damselfly does not look much attractive - dull and black - that what it is named after - "mauros" meaning dark. Showing below is a male E. mauros. The female E. mauros has not yet been found and described.

Rhyothemis triangularis - Female

When you spot a beautiful Rhyothemis triangularis around an open grassy pond, it is always a male individual. Sporadically, you may bump into a female. When you bump into a female, she is always in the middle of ovipositing. Taking photograph on an ovipositing female is definitely not easy, and it is always ended up with bad photos. If you are patient enough, however, the ovipositing female will take a break by perching shortly on grass blade or reed. This is the best time to snap it! Below is a female R. triangularis perching on a reed after having a tiring session of ovipositing. She perched for a short while before continuing her ovipositing act.

Anax guttatus

Anax guttatus is definitely a beautiful aeshnid species as the blue marking on the abdomen is striking. It is normally found at open pond and active during day time. There are two Anax species in Peninsular Malaysia - A. guttatus and A. panybeus. Both the species are quite difficult to tell apart. Close inspection on anal appendages and length of 3rd abdominal segment is neccessary to disitinguish them. However, A. panybeus is much less common in Peninsular Malaysia.

Pseudothemis jorina

Pseudothemis jorina is definitely one of my favourite dragonfly species. It is neither common nor rare in Peninsular Malaysia. Shooting it, however, is defintely challenging.

Prodasineura notostigma in Wheel

I felt contented today to get a nice photo of Prodasineura notostigma in wheel. Earlier I had photos of P. collaris in wheel.

Crocothemis servilia

Crocothemis servilia is always confused with the other red dragonfly species such as Orthetrum chrysis, Orthetrum testaceum and Rhodothemis rufa. However, C. servilia is readily distinguished from O. chrysis and O. testaceum as it has red eyes but not in the later two. Nevertheless, the confusion is more actually between C. servilia and R. rufa. Close insepection on eyes may distinguish these two species. C. servilia has both eyes well touching each other. On the other hand, R. rufa has eyes bearly touching each other. Another feature to distinguish between these two species is that C. servilia has a black line/strip on the dorsal abdomen, of which R. rufa is lacking. The female C. servilia is light brown colour, and of course with a black line/strip on the dorsal abdomen.


a male Crocothemis servilia
a female Crocothemis servilia

Trithemis pallidinervis

Trithemis pallidinervis is normally found at grassland and open marshes. It likes to perch high at grass blade with wing slightly pointing up. The male and female have similar marking. However, the face of male is metallic purple but rather yellow white in female.


a male
a female
the male can be recognised easily with metallic purple face

Diplacodes nebulosa

Diplacodes nebulosa is a small dragonfly species normally found at grassland and marshes. The male has dark wing tips but the female lacks of this feature. The grey blue pruinescens develops with maturity in male. Click here to see a matured male.


a half mature male; the pruinescens has not yet fully developed
a female

Cordulid Larva

I am breeding this cordulid larva now. The larva has been in my little aquarium for almost two months. Anyone wanna guess what is the species of this larva?

Hydrobasileus croceus Larva II

I am actually breeding the larva of Hydrobasileus croceus. I caught a H. croceus some time in April, and it has been living in my little aquarium for one and a half months. I have been feeding it with tadpoles, and it has reached matured stage. I've got the feeling that it will emerge in the next couple of days. I really keep my fingers cross wanting to witness the larval emergence.


This picture was taken when the larva was caught some time in April 2010. The wing cases have still not yet developed.
This picture was taken after the larva three times shedding its skin. The wing cases are now well developed.


P/S: The larva emerged on June 2, 2010 morning. It is very bad that I missed the emergence. I checked the larva at one o'clock morning, and it was still down at the bottom of the aquarium thinking that it would not emerge until tomorrow night. So, I went to bed thinking that I would get ready for the following night. To my horror, however, I saw the newly emerged male adult Hydrobasileus croceus at the aquarium around seven o'clock in the morning! I haven't got the luck this time.......