Sunday 1 June 2008

Of the female that crashed into my room, Friday night

Sri Lanka Forktail - female on the DVDs of the epic adventures of the tireless women in the Visteria Lane
The night was young. The monsoon rain that we had in the daytime was continuing into the night. I was chilling in my room enjoying the first IPL cricket semis on the TV. Suddenly, a dragonfly came into my view above my TV! Surely this must be an Indian Duskhawker (below), I thought. This particular dragonfly, which is a scarce resident in my yard, crashes occassionally into my house at night. So I closed in to take a look.

An Indian Duskhawker in my room
It did’t look like any duskhawker that I know of. Instead, it turned out to be a female Sri Lanka Forktail.

Sri Lanka Forktail female in a less embarrassing angle. Note the insert showing anal segments


After photographing it, I caught it and kept it safe from my pets to be released the following morning. I did this because it could get disoriented by the light.

Complete embarrassment
The above post is my submission for Circus of the Spineless# 34 hosted by Doug Taron at Gossamer Tapestry.

Click on the badge below to visit the headquarters of the Circus of the Spineless.

COTS HQ

18 comments:

Sandpiper (Lin) said...

Well, there is an unexpected vistitor!

Chrissy said...

Oh oh, watch out! Some angry husband may come at you when you least expect it, for keeping his wife all night. :-)

Amila Salgado said...

Hi Lin,
It was serendipituous, indeed.

Hi Chrisss,
I know! I do feel a bit guilty doing that! But then, I didn't take undue advantge of her except taking a few photos!

brucesc said...

Congratulations on the spotting of this rarity, Amila! Maybe you'll have to make a world tour lecturing about them. I'm forwarding this to my ode-aholic friend too.

Amila Salgado said...

Hi Bruce,
Thanks a lot! I am quite pleased about discovering the female form of this Clubtail. I took up learning Dragonflies recently, so I still consider myself an amateur. I really love the ‘hunt’ They can be as exciting as chasing birds!

Kathie Brown said...

Glad to know your mercy extends to the insect life. Not many people would be as gracious a host as you!

Amila Salgado said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Amila Salgado said...

Hi Ocean,
I am a gallant man you know...
I am very happy to have saved her. And to have put a smile on your face. Lovely to hear you comments as always!

Amila Salgado said...

Hi Kathie,
Thanks for appreciating this

I could have easily collected it and handed it over to an entomologist as no specimen exists of it. And had my name published in an obsure entomological journal somewhere, someday.

But how can I do that to a lady when she has visited my room and spent the night with me?

Besides, I have only observed one pair still in my home garden and I do not want to risk wiping out it from my garden!

Dawn said...

Thank you Gallicissa for coming by my blog. Very cool post about the dragonflies! I am just starting to learn our local dragons this summer. last summer is was butterflies. thanks again!

Amila Salgado said...

Hi Dawn,
Thanks for dropping by mine too. Nice to hear you comments. All the best learning your dragons. Beware they are addictive!

Rhythmic Diaspora said...

Hi Amila - I've tagged you. Hope you respond

RD

Indrani said...

I have captured few butterflies in my lens but never a dragon fly. You are so lucky to have one fly into your room as if saying 'come on, shoot me with your camera'. :)

Amila Salgado said...

Hi RD,
I see...!

Hi Indrani,
Yes, it was quite a good feeling to have found it in my room. Dragonfly photography may look daunting at the start, but after your first photograph this will take a different turn.

Anonymous said...

What a fortuitous discovery!

Amila Salgado said...

Thanks John!
Great to hear from you.

oldcrow61 said...

Great post, pictures are wonderful.

Amila Salgado said...

Hi OC,
Thanks! Very nice to hear your comments.

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