Thursday 6 November 2008

Indian Rockdweller

Last month, I explored an abandoned quarry just 70m as a crow dragonfly flies from my place. There are two natural rock pools there, and I found 6 species of dragonflies not recorded in my garden! This Indian Rockdweller Bradinopyga geminata female is one of them. I have shown the original shot I took and 3 crops I made from it to reveal this cryptically coloured dragonfly. A post about other dragonflies of this 'new patch' will be done later on.

Indian Rockdweller female Indian Rockdweller female Indian Rockdweller female Indian Rockdweller female

30 comments:

GG said...

hmm...nice picture. You can literally see through the fellow.

Today I had the chance to examine a few dragonflies and cicadas (dead ones) I was having a close look at their wings, the ones that are transparent, that's the anti-reflective coating.

Anonymous said...

Talk about camouflage! Good spotting!

Anonymous said...

All I can say is WOW!, (It is as fascinating as Physics! ;)

Amila Salgado said...

Thanks, Sasani.
Lucky you! Sounds like interesting research you are doing.

Hi Java,
Yes, it is a good one at that. It didn't allow me to get too close, so this was attempted while just staying in one spot and letting one land close!

Thanks, Kalu.
I'd take you word on that!!

Pat - Arkansas said...

Protective coloring to the extreme! You evidently have excellent eyesight to have seen this one at all. Thanks.

Amila Salgado said...

Hi Pat,
I too am amazed about its protective colouring. Yes, I can spot things like that...sometimes.

Redzlan aka Tabib said...

Lovely pictures series of black and white dragonfly.
Thanks for sharing, I never seen it here.

spookydragonfly said...

What an interesting find, I look forward to your future post!

Vickie said...

That's unreal. He's almost invisible! Translucent. Nice find.

Amila Salgado said...

Hi Tabib,
Thanks! Have a good day!

Hi spookydragonfly,
This was the only dragon seen at the patch mentioned above, when I explored it today. I am finding this a difficult one to photograph and I will explain why in a post to come...!

Hi Vickie,
It's a 'she' and I also photographed a 'he' today. Both sexes seem to suffer from 'severe appearance deficits'...!

Susan Gets Native said...

Wow!
I know that's all deep and all, but....wow.

Amila Salgado said...

Thank you, Susan!
It is quite an intriguing little dragonfly. I bet you would like the my next set of images of this too...

Anonymous said...

First time here on your blog!Amazed by it!

Amila Salgado said...

Thanks Indiana!
Good to hear from you.
I hope you will come back!

Chrissy said...

It's transparency make a great camouflage. Have a great weekend Amila.

Amila Salgado said...

That is right, Chirsss.
Have a super Sunday!

Dragonchaser said...

I guess Sri Lanka is as hot a spot for dragonflies as for birds, my other great interest!
This particular dragon really takes an expert eye to see, it's so well blended into the background!
Cheers from Borneo.
Joe

Amila Salgado said...

Thanks for dropping by, Joe!
Always a pleasure to hear from a dragonchaser from an exciting part of the world! Oh-yes, with 117 with a whopping 52endemics we are an endemic hotspot for Odonata too. My patch described above, has a thriving population of these. So it wasn't all that tough to spot, to be honest, but thanks!

BTW, I postponed a trip to Borneo that I was planning until I get familiar with my my first dSLR set up; Canon 40D + 100mm Maco Lens + Macro Flash. After all what is the use of visiting a macro paraside such as Borneo without a good camera and not knowing how to wield it properly?

I will definitely be making a trip there hopefully in March or April next year (*with ahem, an additional lens with better telephoto capabilities, if I could mak my mind*). Let's see how it goes....!

Anonymous said...

Hello!

Thanks for stopping by my page, I followed you back to yours and am adding you to my blogroll! You take wonderful pictures and I love learning more about my favorite creatures (dragonfly!)

Amila Salgado said...

Hi Dragonfly!
Great to meet another dragonfly enthusiast! Thanks for the link. I have reciprocated. I am happy you like my pics. I will be back to explore your blog.

Anonymous said...

Awesome shot Amila. I am amazed that you even spotted that dragonfly. That has to be some of the best camouflage on the planet!

Amila Salgado said...

Thanks a lot, Larry!
It is a pretty busy feeder and never stays still for too long.
And it is quite wary as well, which surprising for such a crytically-coloured 'being'.

Unknown said...

WOW - however did you spot that !!! When I saw the first pic I thought "he has just got a shot of a bark with some smudging in the middle" :) Fantastic capture

Congrats on your DSLR - How long have you had it ? I cant believe that you havent had it for long. How did you shoot all your other macros ?

Amila Salgado said...

Hi Riyazi,
Thanks a lot!
Good to hear from you!

I got my dSLR on 16 Sep, 2008 and I posted a macro photograph captured from it for the first time on 22 Sep, in my first ‘Macro Monday’. All close ups since then barring the Coastal Pennant were taken from my new toy. The Coastal Pennant and most of the other invertebrates posted before 22 Sep, were shot from my ‘transition' camera; Panasonic Lumix FZ-18, which was forced to reach an early retirement before even its warranty expired!

Some of the very early bug shots were macro photographed directly using my Nikon Coolpix 4500 and a few were digiscoped using Nikon Coolpix 5100.

I hope this helps!

oldcrow61 said...

Wow, it's a wonder you saw it at all, it's so well camouflaged. It's beautiful.

Amila Salgado said...

Hi OC,
Thanks! I am pleased with this capture which shows its habitat well.

Doug Taron said...

What an intriguing photo. Did you manage to find that dragonfly perched, or did you notice it flying about first? Movement is what tips me off to the vast number of really cryptic insects that I manage to find.

Amila Salgado said...

Thanks, Doug.
I noticed when it was flying about first, so movement was the first tip off.

Your Red Rock Skimmer Paltothemis lineatipes female appears to be quite similar to this one.

Anonymous said...

What a beautiful insect, Amila. It looks so fragile and delicate.

Amila Salgado said...

Thanks, Bobbie!
Good to hear from you.
I spent a session short while ago with these. They are fun to work with!

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