Agriocnemis femina femina - Variable Wisp Damsel fly
After a year of bug safaris, I was very confused why I only had a handful of damsel shots. Although I was improving almost daily in my bugging skills, I still had not learned to really open my eyes and ‘SEE’.
A change of venu, to the paddy field path, where snakes were in abundance, taught me to look at my feet and watch where I was stepping. As my feet disturbed the vegetation, damsels would take to the air to avoid me. They would never rise above the vegetation, and would perch again within a few feet. Now, even when I go back to my old hunting grounds, there are damsels everywhere.
This damsel is not much more than an inch long. Called the variable wisp because in changes color four times during its adult life. When I finally identified the little darling, it closed four folders of unknowns in one go.
Damsels are wonderful to study, but I will write more on this on future posts.
Location is Bandung, West Java, Indonesia. Alongside a stream and paddy fields.
Tiny damselfly (male hindwing 10 mm). A confusing species because of colour changes with maturity. The immature male is green and orange but on maturity it becomes dark with heavy pruinescence on the head and synthorax. Females may be olive green or red and vary in the markings on the thorax.
comments (2)
I believe that just like your eyes getting used to the dark, your eyes have to get used to "macro mode". Very often I've been targeting an insect because it moved. Kneeling down and spending a few minutes trying to capture it, a bit later I then realize there's a huge spider once inch to my left, and 7 insects in obvious sight that I still completely missed when passing the bushes casually. Posted 9 years ago
Dave Posted 9 years ago