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Dragonflies & Damselflies of southern Africa Dragonflies & Damselflies of southern Africa
  • Home
  • Damselflies
    • Bluetails
      • Tropical Bluetail
    • Bluets
      • Mauve Bluet
      • Peak Bluet
      • Round-winged Bluet
      • Sailing Bluet
      • Saphire Bluet
      • Slender Bluet
      • Swamp Bluet
    • Citrils
      • Common Citril
      • Suave Citril
    • Demoiselles
      • Glistening Demoiselle
    • Goldtail
      • Goldtails
    • Jewels
      • Boulder Jewel
      • Dancing Jewel
    • Malachites
      • Amatola Malachite
      • Conspicuous Malachite
      • Drakensberg Malachite
      • Elegant Malachite
      • Forest Malachite
      • Mountain Malachite
      • Queen Malachite
      • Rock Malachite
      • Rainforest Malachite
      • White Malachite
    • Slims
      • Graceful Slim
      • Opal Slim
    • Spesbona
      • Spesbona
    • Spreadwings
      • Cryptic Spreadwing
      • Highland Spreadwing
      • Pallid Spreadwing
      • Sickle Spreadwing
      • Smoky Spreadwing
      • Spotted Spreadwing
    • Sprites (A-Group)
      • Balinsky's Sprite
      • Great Sprite
      • Harlequin Sprite
      • Makabisi Sprite
      • Mountain Sprite
      • Painted Sprite
      • Palmiet Sprite
      • Powder-faced Sprite
      • Slate Sprite
      • Springwater Sprite
      • Upland Sprite
      • Yellow-faced Sprite
    • Sprites (B-Group)
      • Acasia Sprite
      • Assegai Sprite
      • Black Sprite
      • Blue-sided Sprite
      • Castshead Sprite
      • Cherry-eyed Sprite
      • Massai Sprite
      • Swarthy Sprite
      • Vaal Sprite
      • Variable Sprite
    • Riverjacks
      • Blue Riverjack
      • Savanna Riverjack
    • Threadtails
      • Common Threadtail
      • Sooty Threadtail
    • Wisps
      • Gracious Wisp
      • Little Wisp
      • Orange Wisp
      • Pinhey’s Wisp
      • White-masked Wisp
  • Dragonflies
    • African Darters
      • Fiery Darter
      • Sooty Darter
    • Baskers
      • Blue Basker
      • Pygmy Basker
      • Red Basker
      • St Lucia Basker
    • Blacktails
      • Eastern Blacktail
    • Bottletail
      • Bottletail
    • Cascaders
      • Blue Cascader
      • Ringed Cascader, Zygonyx torridus
    • Clubtails
      • Thorax Patterns
      • Leaftails
        • Bold Leaftail
      • Talontails
        • Clubbed Talontail
        • Horned Talontail
      • Tigertail
        • Common Tigertail
      • Scissortails
        • Eastern Scissortail
      • Claspertails
        • Lined Claspertail
      • Fingertails
        • Southern Fingertail
      • Fairytails
        • Spined Fairytail
      • Hooktails
        • Common Hooktail
        • Corkscrew Hooktail
        • Flapper Hooktail
        • Great Hooktail
        • Rock Hooktail
        • Comparison Chart
      • Thorntails
        • Cape Thorntail
        • Common Thorntail
      • Longlegs (Yellowjack)
        • Yellowjack Longlegs
      • Siphontail
        • Zambezi Siphontail
    • Coastal Pennant
      • Coastal Penant
    • Cruisers
      • Darting Cruiser
      • Sable Cruiser
      • Two-Banded Cruiser
    • Dropwings
      • Comparison Females
      • Denim Dropwing
      • Elegant Dropwing
      • Halfshade Dropwing
      • Highland Dropwing
      • Jaunty Dropwing
      • Navy Dropwing
      • Orange-winged Dropwing
      • Red-veined Dropwing
      • Russet Dropwing
      • Silhouette Dropwing
      • Violet Dropwing
    • Duskdarter
      • Banded Duskdarter
      • Smoky Duskdarter
    • Duskhawkers
      • Brown Duskhawker
      • Eastern Duskhawker
      • Little Duskhawker
    • Elfs
      • Black-splashed Elf
    • Emerald
      • Emeralds
    • Emperors
      • Black Emperor
      • Blue Emperor
      • Orange Emperor
      • Vagrant Emperor
    • Flutterers
      • Phantom Flutterer
    • Forestwatcher
      • Eastern Forestwatcher
    • Gliders
      • Comparison Chart Gliders
      • Keyhole Glider
      • Ferruginous Glider
    • Groundlings
      • Southern Banded Groundling
      • Red Groundling
    • Hawkers
      • Evening Hawker
      • Forest Hawker
      • Friendly Hawker
      • Stream Hawker
    • Inspector
      • Inspector
    • Nomad
      • Nomad
    • Pantala
      • Pantala
    • Perchers
      • Barbet Percher
      • Black Percher
      • Dwarf Percher
      • Little Percher
    • Piedspot
      • African Piedspot
    • Pintails
      • Pintails Differences
      • Slender Pintail
      • Stout Pintail
    • Presbas
      • Gilded Presba
      • Mahogany Presba
      • Rustic Presba
      • Yellow Presba
    • Riverkings
      • Southern Riverking
    • Rockdwellers
      • Horned Rockdweller
      • Red Rockdweller
    • Scarlets
      • Broad Scarlet
      • Little Scarlet
      • Rock Scarlet
    • Skimmers
      • Banded Skimmer
      • Bold Skimmer
      • Dark-shouldered Skimmer
      • Elusive Skimmer
      • Epaulet Skimmer
      • Guinea Skimmer
      • Highland Skimmer
      • Julia Skimmer
      • Cape Skimmer
      • Little Skimmer
      • Long Skimmer
      • Robust Skimmer
      • Spectacled Skimmer
      • Two-striped Skimmer
      • Woodland Skimmer
    • Twister
      • Twister
    • Widows
      • Compare Females
      • Deceptive Widow
      • Lucia Widow
      • Portia Widow
      • Yellow-veined Widow
  • What am I
    • What am I - Quick Guide
    • What am I - Dragonfly
    • What am I - Damselfly
    • Damselfly Families Southern Africa
    • Dragonfly Families Southern Africa
    • What Am I - Clubtails
    • What Am I - Dropwings
  • Index
    • Common Names Damselflies
    • Common Names Dragonflies
    • Scientific Names Damselflies
    • Scientific Names Dragonflies
Beautiful Damselflies
Interesting Facts 
Beautiful Dragonfkies 
Chlorolestes_elegans_Elegant_MalachiteChlorolestes_elegans_Elegant_Malachite
Rare
Found at only 2 known areas in South Africa
100 459 Pseudagrion newtoni Harlequin Sprite Male Mac Mac Falls Sabi MP RSA Febr 2020r 3Pseudagrion newtoni, Harlequin Sprite
Rare
A new habitat was recently discovered in the Graskop area of Mpumalanga Province South Africa
Chlorolestes fasciatus, Mountain_Malachite. MaleChlorolestes fasciatus, MountainMalachite. Male
Widespread in South Africa 
Found hanging on grass and twigs near steams and pond

1 4020 Aethriamanta rezia Pygmy Basker P Mch 2024r 3Aethriamanta rezia, Pygmy Basker
Not often seen. Only visible in the warm costal areas of eastern Southern Africa 
Prefers Well vegetated pond

Recently Updated

1 4538 Crenigomphus hartmanni F Alicedale Mch 2025r 4Crenigomphus hartmann, Clubbed Talontail,
Seen perching on rocks in fast flowing rivers
Females often seen some distance away from the water.

Sympetrum_fonscolombii_NomadSympetrum fonscolombii Nomad
Regular visitor to ponds
Often seen at the start of the season
Nesciothemis_farinosa_Eastern_BlacktailNesciothemis farinosa, Eastern Blacktail
Hunts up and down Ponds and fast flowing streams. Often cohabit and confused with skimmers
Orthetrum icteromelas Spectacled SkimmerOrthetrum icteromelas Spectacled Skimmer
Prefers still clear water ponds with well grassed verges.  Often returns to the same perch

Beautiful

Phyllogomphus selysi. Bold Leaftail. Male
Phyllogomphus selysi.
Bold Leaftail. Male
Male Seldom seen in South Africa.
Note: Peculiar shaped clasper

Recently Revised

1 10221 Africallagma glaucum Swamp Bluet Male Garry Dec 2023r 3Africallagma glaucum, Swamp Bluet. 
Found at the edge of clear water pools

  • Home
  • Damselflies
    • Bluetails
      • Tropical Bluetail
    • Bluets
      • Mauve Bluet
      • Peak Bluet
      • Round-winged Bluet
      • Sailing Bluet
      • Saphire Bluet
      • Slender Bluet
      • Swamp Bluet
    • Citrils
      • Common Citril
      • Suave Citril
    • Demoiselles
      • Glistening Demoiselle
    • Goldtail
      • Goldtails
    • Jewels
      • Boulder Jewel
      • Dancing Jewel
    • Malachites
      • Amatola Malachite
      • Conspicuous Malachite
      • Drakensberg Malachite
      • Elegant Malachite
      • Forest Malachite
      • Mountain Malachite
      • Queen Malachite
      • Rock Malachite
      • Rainforest Malachite
      • White Malachite
    • Slims
      • Graceful Slim
      • Opal Slim
    • Spesbona
      • Spesbona
    • Spreadwings
      • Cryptic Spreadwing
      • Highland Spreadwing
      • Pallid Spreadwing
      • Sickle Spreadwing
      • Smoky Spreadwing
      • Spotted Spreadwing
    • Sprites (A-Group)
      • Balinsky's Sprite
      • Great Sprite
      • Harlequin Sprite
      • Makabisi Sprite
      • Mountain Sprite
      • Painted Sprite
      • Palmiet Sprite
      • Powder-faced Sprite
      • Slate Sprite
      • Springwater Sprite
      • Upland Sprite
      • Yellow-faced Sprite
    • Sprites (B-Group)
      • Acasia Sprite
      • Assegai Sprite
      • Black Sprite
      • Blue-sided Sprite
      • Castshead Sprite
      • Cherry-eyed Sprite
      • Massai Sprite
      • Swarthy Sprite
      • Vaal Sprite
      • Variable Sprite
    • Riverjacks
      • Blue Riverjack
      • Savanna Riverjack
    • Threadtails
      • Common Threadtail
      • Sooty Threadtail
    • Wisps
      • Gracious Wisp
      • Little Wisp
      • Orange Wisp
      • Pinhey’s Wisp
      • White-masked Wisp
  • Dragonflies
    • African Darters
      • Fiery Darter
      • Sooty Darter
    • Baskers
      • Blue Basker
      • Pygmy Basker
      • Red Basker
      • St Lucia Basker
    • Blacktails
      • Eastern Blacktail
    • Bottletail
      • Bottletail
    • Cascaders
      • Blue Cascader
      • Ringed Cascader, Zygonyx torridus
    • Clubtails
      • Thorax Patterns
      • Leaftails
        • Bold Leaftail
      • Talontails
        • Clubbed Talontail
        • Horned Talontail
      • Tigertail
        • Common Tigertail
      • Scissortails
        • Eastern Scissortail
      • Claspertails
        • Lined Claspertail
      • Fingertails
        • Southern Fingertail
      • Fairytails
        • Spined Fairytail
      • Hooktails
        • Common Hooktail
        • Corkscrew Hooktail
        • Flapper Hooktail
        • Great Hooktail
        • Rock Hooktail
        • Comparison Chart
      • Thorntails
        • Cape Thorntail
        • Common Thorntail
      • Longlegs (Yellowjack)
        • Yellowjack Longlegs
      • Siphontail
        • Zambezi Siphontail
    • Coastal Pennant
      • Coastal Penant
    • Cruisers
      • Darting Cruiser
      • Sable Cruiser
      • Two-Banded Cruiser
    • Dropwings
      • Comparison Females
      • Denim Dropwing
      • Elegant Dropwing
      • Halfshade Dropwing
      • Highland Dropwing
      • Jaunty Dropwing
      • Navy Dropwing
      • Orange-winged Dropwing
      • Red-veined Dropwing
      • Russet Dropwing
      • Silhouette Dropwing
      • Violet Dropwing
    • Duskdarter
      • Banded Duskdarter
      • Smoky Duskdarter
    • Duskhawkers
      • Brown Duskhawker
      • Eastern Duskhawker
      • Little Duskhawker
    • Elfs
      • Black-splashed Elf
    • Emerald
      • Emeralds
    • Emperors
      • Black Emperor
      • Blue Emperor
      • Orange Emperor
      • Vagrant Emperor
    • Flutterers
      • Phantom Flutterer
    • Forestwatcher
      • Eastern Forestwatcher
    • Gliders
      • Comparison Chart Gliders
      • Keyhole Glider
      • Ferruginous Glider
    • Groundlings
      • Southern Banded Groundling
      • Red Groundling
    • Hawkers
      • Evening Hawker
      • Forest Hawker
      • Friendly Hawker
      • Stream Hawker
    • Inspector
      • Inspector
    • Nomad
      • Nomad
    • Pantala
      • Pantala
    • Perchers
      • Barbet Percher
      • Black Percher
      • Dwarf Percher
      • Little Percher
    • Piedspot
      • African Piedspot
    • Pintails
      • Pintails Differences
      • Slender Pintail
      • Stout Pintail
    • Presbas
      • Gilded Presba
      • Mahogany Presba
      • Rustic Presba
      • Yellow Presba
    • Riverkings
      • Southern Riverking
    • Rockdwellers
      • Horned Rockdweller
      • Red Rockdweller
    • Scarlets
      • Broad Scarlet
      • Little Scarlet
      • Rock Scarlet
    • Skimmers
      • Banded Skimmer
      • Bold Skimmer
      • Dark-shouldered Skimmer
      • Elusive Skimmer
      • Epaulet Skimmer
      • Guinea Skimmer
      • Highland Skimmer
      • Julia Skimmer
      • Cape Skimmer
      • Little Skimmer
      • Long Skimmer
      • Robust Skimmer
      • Spectacled Skimmer
      • Two-striped Skimmer
      • Woodland Skimmer
    • Twister
      • Twister
    • Widows
      • Compare Females
      • Deceptive Widow
      • Lucia Widow
      • Portia Widow
      • Yellow-veined Widow
  • What am I
    • What am I - Quick Guide
    • What am I - Dragonfly
    • What am I - Damselfly
    • Dragonfly Families Southern Africa
    • Damselfly Families Southern Africa
    • What Am I - Clubtails
    • What Am I - Dropwings
  • Index
    • Common Names Damselflies
    • Common Names Dragonflies
    • Scientific Names Damselflies
    • Scientific Names Dragonflies