Denim Dropwing, Trithemis donaldsoni, Denimvalvlerkie

Short description:

Denim Dropwing, Trithemis donaldsoni, Denimvalvlerkie is small sized light blue with contrasting dark brown eyes.

Family Libellulidae Leach, 1815

More images:

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Guides:

• Dropwings - General (Trithemis)
• By Colour - Blue
• By Colour - Red, Orange, Yellow, Violet

Key identification features:

Males:

• Face light brown with dark brown eyes with grey spots below
• Thorax (short and stubby) and abdomen are an even pale blue to pruinescent light grey.
• Abdomen brown with yellow strips on side when young becoming grey becoming dark from segment 8
• Wings are clear with veins close to thorax showing light blue. Wings as long as abdomen. 10½-12½ Ax in forewing, only rarely 13½ 
• Pterostigmas are reddish-brown between black veins, but very pale yellowish-brown on underside, especially in forewing.

Females:

• Seldom seen. Lives far from water, only returning to the water to mate where it is very briefly seen
• Eyes are brown
• Thorax has distinct stripes
• Abdomen stripes and markings similar to young male

 Habitat:

• Rivers in open landscapes, shallow, rocky, strong flowing savanna rivers.  Usually with rocks. May be found next to open waters
• Found from an altitude of 0 to 1700 m above sea level, but mostly between 200 and 1600.

Behaviour:

• Territorial males perch mostly on stones or rocks either near the side or midstream.
• Strong flyer, frequently darting off, returning to original perch.

Compared with other species:

• Distinctive with pale denim blue and very dark eyes.
• Navy Dropwing, T. furva, and Highlands Dropwing, T. dorsalis, look somewhat similar.
• Silhouette Dropwing, T. hecate, has a slender abdomen.
• Halfshade Dropwing, T. aconite, has a narrow yellowish streak along the top of the abdomen.

Learn More about other Dropwings, (Trithemis) Species

Distribution:

 South Africa:

• Found in the warm eastern and northern side of South Africa. 

Africa:

•  Angola; Botswana; Democratic Republic of the Congo; Ethiopia; Kenya; Malawi; Mozambique; Namibia; Republic of South Africa; Rwanda; Tanzania; Uganda; Zambia; Zimbabwe;

Further reading:

Websites:

• Odonata Atlas of Africa VMU Number 668800
• The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
• African Dragonflies & Damselflies Online
• A Visual Guide to the Damselflies and Dragonflies of South Africa