Common Scarlet

Photo credit: Tan Jing Wen

Photo credit: Nicholas Kee (NParks)

40–43 mm

What does it look like?

This is one of the larger species of red dragonflies and is very common in Jurong Lake Gardens. The males are red from head to tail, including their eyes. They are easily confused with the Common Redbolt but can be distinguished from the latter by the distinctive dark line along the top of its abdomen. The females are light brown with the same distinctive line.

Habitat and Behaviour

These sun-loving dragonflies can be commonly seen in our parks as well as other open habitats like freshwater marshes. They range from the Middle East throughout tropical and subtropical Asia, to New Guinea in the east.

Common Redbolt

Male. Photo credit: Ruth Tan (NParks)

41–44 mm

What does it look like?

Male Common Redbolts are red throughout with a thick pale band on their thorax. Females are brown with a bright yellow band on their thorax that extends midway down the abdomen. It looks similar to the Common Scarlet but lacks the distinct dark band along the abdomen.

Habitat and Behaviour

This sun-loving species is found in open habitats like freshwater marshes and flooded grasslands. They are widespread in tropical Asia, ranging from western India and Sri Lanka to the Solomon Islands.

Scarlet Basker

Male. Photo credit: Cai Yixiong, NParks Flora&FaunaWeb

Male. Photo credit: Robin Ngiam (NParks)

42–45 mm

What does it look like?

Male Scarlet Baskers have red eyes, thoraxes and abdomens with a brown patch at the base of their hindwings. Females are, in contrast, light yellowish brown with a pale amber patch at the base of their hindwings. They are identified by two diamond-shaped spots at the ends of their abdomens.

Habitat and Behaviour

It is found in ponds in open habitats throughout Singapore. This active dragonfly is often seen fighting other odonates that intrude into their territory. It is widespread, occurring from the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia to eastern Australia.

Scarlet Skimmer

Male. Photo credit: Robin Ngiam (NParks)

43–48 mm

What does it look like?

Males have an orange brown thorax and red abdomen with light brownish grey eyes. They also have an amber patch at the base of their hindwings. Females are yellowish brown and lack the patch on their hindwings.

Habitat and Behaviour

They inhabit open wetlands like drains, ponds and marshes.

Grenadier

Photo credit:  Cai Yixiong, NParks Flora&FaunaWeb

37–41 mm

What does it look like?

The Grenadier has a blotchy or mottled yellow thorax and a slender abdomen that is red except for the black tip. Males and females look similar. It can be challenging to distinguish the Grenadier from the Scarlet Grenadier, which is larger and has a different abdomen shape and thorax colouration.

Habitat and Behaviour

This species is associated with forested habitats and generally perches in shady areas. It has been recorded in the nature reserves, various nature parks and wooded areas of Jurong Lake Gardens. It has a wide range across tropical Asia and Australasia.

Scarlet Grenadier

Photo credit: Ruth Tan (NParks)

44–47 mm

What does it look like?

The Scarlet Grenadier has a narrow abdomen. Males have an entirely red abdomen except for the last segment which is black. Their thorax is dark brown with yellow stripes on the sides. Females have a brownish red abdomen.

Habitat and Behaviour

This species prefers forested areas and is usually seen perched around forest clearings surveying their surroundings for prey.

Spine-tufted Skimmer

Photo credit:  Ruth Tan (NParks)

41–48 mm

What does it look like?

Males have a dark brown thorax and red abdomen. Females are reddish brown. They are often mistaken for the Scarlet Skimmer but have a dark thorax instead of being completely red or orange brown.

Habitat and Behaviour

They are common in our parks and widespread in tropical Asia.

Common Parasol

Male. Photo credit: Goh Pei Shuan (NParks)

Female. Photo credit: Robin Ngiam (NParks)

30–34 mm

What does it look like?

Males are striking and have a reddish brown thorax and abdomen with maroon wings that have transparent tips. Females are duller in colour with clear wings. Immature males look similar to females except for their wing markings.

Habitat and Behaviour

It is widespread across tropical Asia. It is the most common dragonfly in Singapore, even frequenting places that are far from a water source.

Crimson Dropwing

Male. Photo credit: Ruth Tan (NParks)

Female. Photo credit: Robin Ngiam (NParks)

32–35 mm

What does it look like?

The eyes, thorax and abdomen of males are bright pink, while females are golden yellow with black markings on the sides of their abdomen.

Habitat and Behaviour

This species is very common and inhabits all sorts of urban wetlands. They can often be spotted perched on shrubs, basking in the sun.

Common Amberwing

Male. Photo credit: Robin Ngiam (NParks)

29–31 mm

What does it look like?

True to its name, male Common Amberwings have beautiful amber tints on all their wings. Females look very different with a pale yellow thorax and yellowish orange wing spots instead.

Habitat and Behaviour

They are very common in ponds, lakes and marshes. Their scientific name contaminata refers to this species’ ability to survive even in polluted water. They can usually be found in large numbers.

Saddleback Glider

Photo credit: Robin Ngiam (NParks)

53–54 mm

What does it look like?

The Saddlebag Glider has a dark brown patch at the base of its hindwings near the thorax, resembling a saddlebag and thus giving it its name. Their eyes are dark brown above and greyish white below.

Habitat and Behaviour

They are common in Singapore and occur in well-vegetated ponds and drains.

Wandering Glider

Photo credit: Robin Ngiam (NParks)

45–47 mm

How to identify?

This dragonfly is mainly yellow in colour. It has a series of long, diamond-shaped spots along the midline of its abdomen. Their broad wings are clear except for a small but distinct dark mark at each of the tips. Males and females look similar.

Habitat and Behaviour

The Wandering Glider occurs in open habitats in Singapore and is often present in swarms, foraging around open areas in search of prey.

They are the most widespread species of dragonfly and have a global range extending from the Americas to Asia.

White-barred Duskhawk

Photo credit: Robin Ngiam (NParks)

44–47 mm

How to identify?

The males are dull orange with a light brown bar and white patches on each hindwing. Females are pale brown with clear wings that lack patches. Before maturity, males resemble females.

Habitat and Behaviour

Mostly active in the late afternoon, they perch vertically below plants for shade during the rest of the day. They are found throughout Singapore in open habitats like ponds, lakes and slow-flowing streams. Their global distribution ranges throughout tropical and subtropical Africa, Asia, Australia and Micronesia (islands in the western Pacific Ocean).

Common Chaser

Male. Photo credit: Anthony Quek

Female. Photo credit: Anthony Quek

43–45 mm

What does it look like?

The first four segments of the abdomen of the males are powdery blue while the rest of the abdomen is black with orange markings. Females have yellow and black stripes on the sides of their thorax, a black abdomen with dull orange markings and a notable flap near the tip.

Habitat and Behaviour

They occur all over Singapore, preferring open ponds and slow-flowing waters in disturbed habitats. They are also widely distributed in areas ranging from tropical Asia to Australia.

Blue Dasher

Photo credit: Ruth Tan (NParks)

33–35 mm

What does it look like?

This dragonfly is distinctive, with males sporting a bluish body coupled with a yellowish tint at the base of its wings. It has a broad dark tip at the end of its abdomen. Females have clear wings and a yellow abdomen with a black streak.

Habitat and Behaviour

They are very common and found in ponds in many of our parks, particularly those that are well-vegetated.

Blue Percher

Male. Photo credit: Robin Ngiam, NParks Flora&FaunaWeb

29–33 mm

What does it look like?

A small dragonfly, its males are light bluish with bright blue eyes and a black abdomen tip with white anal attachments, known as appendages. Females have a pale greenish yellow marking on their black bodies with eyes that are brown above and yellow below.

Habitat and Behaviour

It is commonly found in open marshes, drains and disturbed habitats. They are not always found near water sources, and often fly very close to the ground. It has a wide range encompassing tropical and subtropical Asia and Australasia.

Trumpet Tail

Male. Photo credit: Ruth Tan (NParks)

Female. Photo credit: Nicholas Kee (NParks)

27–29 mm

What does it look like?

A key feature of this dragonfly is its bulging abdomen that narrows towards the tip. Mature males are blue while females are light green.

Habitat and Behaviour

It is commonly found in most of our parks and is often seen around ponds with many plants.

Common Flangetail

Photo credit: Ong Chwee Sia

64–68 mm

What does it look like?

It has a heavily-built body with a distinctive yellow and black pattern and a long slender abdomen. Greenish yellow bands and spots cover its black body. Its eyes are well separated and greyish green in colour. Females and males look similar.

Habitat and Behaviour

The Common Flangetail prefers large, open expanses of water such as Jurong Lake and other large lakes and reservoirs.

Variegated Green Skimmer

Photo credit: Nicholas Kee (NParks)

47–52 mm

What does it look like?

They are easily recognised by their pale green colour and white markings on their abdomens. Females look similar to males.

Habitat and Behaviour

This is a very common dragonfly that is found in a wide variety of open wetlands, including drains and flooded fields.

Yellow-barred Flutterer

Photo credit: Ruth Tan (NParks)

39–41 mm

What does it look like?

It has a dark thorax and abdomen with a metallic sheen while the base of the hindwing has unmistakable yellow and dark bars. Males and females look similar.

Habitat and Behaviour

This species is common throughout Singapore and is often seen far from water. Swarms of this species can sometimes be seen fluttering over grassy fields together with Wandering Gliders in search of aerial prey.