Photo Index on Aruban dragonflies (July - August 2007)

List of locations and observations on Aruba. Places on Aruba and list of dragonflies (July - August 2007).

List of species for the Lesser Antilles & General Info.

Rambur's Forktail (Ischnura ramburii). A common damselfly around the Caribbean.
On Curacao it is found whenever there is water. It also visits (semi-)salty waters like the canals in Punda and Salinas and can be found along the beaches and salt pans in the south.
Ovipositing females have been found too, also on most waters and for example many at Muizenberg, Malpais, St Michiel and 'Kabouterbos' in Cas Cora. Muizenberg was by far the largest population with several 1.000's of individuals, including of course many copula and very fresh individuals in March 2009, after relatively much rain over a constant period from October the previous year. The species needs floating vegetation to lay her eggs in.
Note the blue, andromorphic females.

.Rambur's Forktail (Ischnura ramburii). Muizenberg - Curacao, March 2009. Blue, andromorphic female.

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Rainpool Spreadwing (Lestes forficula). A common damselfly on Curacao, whenever sedge vegeation is found as low stands on pools.
All images on these pages were taken in March 2009, after a rainy period of several months. Fresh water pools could be found at many locations on the island. Rainpool Spreadwing was most numerous at Muizenberg and at Palpais (former fresh water reservoir for Shell oil company, just north of St Michiel). On both locations, 100's of individuals were present, including ovipositing, copula and fresh imago's.
Rainpool Spreadwing looks quite similar to Antillean Spreadwing (Lestes spumarius) and on the internet I couldn't find good documentation to seperate the two; so maybe both taxa can be found on the island?

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Wandering Glider (Pantala flavescens) is a long distant migrant from the Tropics and in March 2009, it was abundant.
It was seen on various locations along the south of the island, typically patrouilling in small groups and up to over twenty along sheltered bushes and trees of parking lots near the beaches. It often associated with Tramea's. This taxon was more numerous at Malpais and at Muizenberg, were it commonly rested in sedge vegetation in the late evening, and probably spending the night at such places. Higest count at Muizenberg was about 75 individuals, most relatively fresh and the males lacking the intense orange colour of fully matures. P. flavescens was also recorded at the sheltered side of Christoffel Hill, and the small streams running from it.
Note the difference in markings between males and females on the abdomen, varying in darkness and amount. The yellow spot in the wing can vary as well and note also the long appendages for a female. The species has not been seen ovipositing, but one copula was seen flying at St Michiel.

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Tawny Pennant (Brachymesia herbida) was only seen twice at Muizenberg. I've got one picture of a female in an acacia tree, but of poor quality.
Theo siad it is a common dragonfly on Aruba, where it's favourite habit is to sit high in Acacia trees while looking for small butterflies and other insects. It is a much longer and more slender species than its relative Brachymesia furcata, also seen on Aruba and on Curacao.

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Red-tailed Pennant (Brachymesia furcata) is probably common on Curacao, but the numerous Tramea outnumbered the Brachymesia present.
It could be found at Muizenberg, but normally not close to the waters; they seemed to prefer the drier Acacia vegetation. It was also recorded at Malpais, Kabouterbos at Cas Cora and it was relatively common along the sheltered side of Christoffel Hill on higher elevations ((150+ meters). It was also recorded in the drier Acacia vegetation on the east of the island, driving south from Playa Canoa.

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Great Pondhawk (Erythemis vesiculosa) is a common and beautiful species on the island of Curacao.
It is very common at fresh water pools, of which many could be found all over the island in March 2009, after months of rain. It was numerous (several 100's) at Muizenberg, but also common at Julianadorp, Cas Cora and Malpais. It could also be found along small streams, e.g. in the Christoffel NP, fresh water at Shete Boca, and it was even recorded near semi-salt water at Salinas in mangrove vegetation (but probably a wandering individual).
Pondhawks do patrol over pools, but they very much like to rest in tall grass stands, and prefer to land low in the vegetation. But in the evening they try to catch the last rays of sunlight in the open, exposing nicely on branches and twigs.

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"Aruban" Skimmer (Orthemis spec).
The Orthemis family is very difficult to identify since there is no consensus about its status.
There are a few readily discernable species but the violet/ purple/ dark red species are not yet fully understood.
On Aruba there may be more than just one species involved, as has been stated by Theo in the Aruba section (click here) although the coloring of eyes, nose, underside of the thorax, abdomen and ptreostigma look homologous on all animals he saw on Aruba.
Provisionally, the individuals seen on Aruba were called "Orthemis arubensis" on this website, until there is more transparancy. Roughly it looks like a cross between O. discolor and O. ferruginae, with characters of both. Dennis Paulson from teh U.S. commented: "... the Orthemis in the ABC islands seem closest to Orthemis sulphurata, described from western Ecuador. The range and validity of that species are by no means certain, but it is possible that it occurs not only in western Ecuador but along the Caribbean coast of South America, including the ABC islands. This is a very difficult genus! The ABC species is definitely not O. discolor or O. ferruginea.
Skimmers which perfectly match the ones seen and described by Theo from Aruba, can be found on Curacao as well. It is a common dragonfly all over the island, near streams, pools, dry Acacia vegetation and also in gardens.
It is never seen in large concentrations on Curacao, although males can keep rather small territories, as was already noticed by Theo on Aruba. However, several 10's were recorded daily in March 2009.
Male Skimmers do have favorite posts in a territory, but seem to abandon such posts pretty easy. So, they tend to be less territorial in comparison to e.g. Tramea's.

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Seaside Dragonlet (Erythrodiplax berenice) is unique in its behaviour, as the eggs and larvae are capable to survive in salt water, so it can fill a niche not many other insects can.
Probably it's abundant at many places in the south at the island of Curacao, like the mangrove area east along the coast of St Barbara, the mangroves of Spanish Water, the salinas and small pools of Caracasbaai , salina Jan Thiel, the (degenerated) mangrove areas of Punda and Otrabanda and further to west: Piscaderabaai, salina Malpais of St Michiel, Jan Kok baai and near Soto and Lagun.
Despite so many good areas, I've only been searching for this species once, of all places near Salinas, in a small degerated mangrove area of 30 meters long, which is probably used as a kind of sewage canal for the local KFC and other gastrononic places. There was some litter as well in the canal, but since it was so close to the road I just stopped and found about 25 individuals! I hardly dare to make extrapolations to the rest of the island.
This dragonlet comes in several morphs, being bright yellow-black in typical female type individuals to very black and blue-gray prunosed mature males. However, females can be blackish as well and the immature males look similar to females.

Seaside Dragonlet (Erythrodiplax berenice). Salinas - Curacao, March 2009. Male.

Band-winged Dragonlet (Erythrodiplax umbrata) is a species found at the same place as Rainpool Spreadwing on Curacao island: sedge fields and small pools surrounded with tall grass. Both male and female were most often found at rest; the males making only short flights and quickly disappearing low in the vegetation.
The Erythrodiplax family is a large group of which female types are sometime notoriously difficult to identify. However, according to Carlos Esquivel’s book, ‘Dragonflies and Damselflies of Middle America and the Caribbean’, only four species have been recorded for the Lesser Antilles region: E. berenice, E. fusca, E. umbrata & E. unimaculata.
On Curacao, this species was recorded at Muizenberg and at Malpais, north of St Michiel.

Red Saddlebag (Tramea onusta).
The Saddlebag dragonflies have a diagnostic habit in flying with the abdomen held downwards, hanging. The obvious maculated patches in the wing (from which they get their names) are accentuated when doing so.
There are a few red species known to occur around the Caribbean, and three of them were recorded on Curacao in March 2009. The fourth recorded for the region, T. insularis, has not been recorded and is found in the West Indies.
Red Saddlebag is one of these red species that is widely distributed across the region. Its face is pale brown initially but turns red in mature males. The thorax is brown and unmarked. The wings have reddish-brown veins anteriorly and the hindwing have a large basal brown crossband that doesn't generally extend beyond the midrib of the anal loop. Generally there is a large central clear spot in this crossband. The legs are pale turning black more distally. The abdomen is yellowish-brown in females, but turns red in mature males. Segments 8-10 are black dorsally and pale laterally.
On Curacao, they are pretty easy to photograph as they often perch at 'Wabi' twigs (Acacia's) and they are abundant all over the island. Very often, they fly in mixed flocks with T. abdominalis and T. calverti, making exact estimations difficult, but March 2009 several locations held 100's of Tramea's. This species is seen at temporary and permanent ponds, but also gardens, drier Acacia vegetation, parking lots near beaches at the south, the sheltered side of Christoffel Hill, in the north at Shete Boca and the vast Acacia field in the north (the 'mundi') and east of the island (southeast of Playa Canoa).

Striped Saddlebags (Tramea calverti) is recognized by its striped thorax, both in males and females. In males, the underside of the abdomen is black as are S8 – S10, with small pale lines at the base of these segments.
The dark spot in the hindwing is not as broad as in T. onusta, more like in T. abdominalis; it looks more circular and more restricted. In females, the spots are smaller, restricted to the basal part of the hindwing.
Note the shorter and rounder hamulus when compared to T. onusta. In females, the thorax is striped too, the abdomen is warm yellow-orange with the same distinctive black S8 - S10 as in males. Note the extending ovipositor. The nose is pale to red, the mandibles are pale and there is a black line over the frons.
On Curacao, Striped Saddlebags are pretty common and often perch at 'Wabi' twigs (Acacia's). Very often, they fly in mixed flocks with T. abdominalis and T. onusta, making exact estimations difficult, but March 2009 several locations held 100's of Tramea's. This species seemed to be somewhat less common in mixed groups than the other two Tramea's. For locations, see T. onusta.

Vermillion Saddlebags (Tramea abdominalis) is a common species on the island of Curacao (and maybe the most common Tramea). Regarding pattern, it is intermediate between T. onusta (thorax unmarked, last segments with reduced black) and T. calverti (less distinct and sharp bordered maculate patches in the hindwing). In these repects, T. abdominalis look a bit alike T. insularis, from the West Indies. Dennis Paulson from the U.S. commented: ".. but T. abdominalis has a darker frons, purple on top, and much longer cerci. The latter is an easy way to distinguish males. Females are more similar, but T. insularis has a touch of purple on the frons lacking in T. abdominalis." The Saddlebag dragonflies have a diagnostic habit in flying with the abdomen held downwards, hanging. The obvious maculated patches in the wing (from which they get their names) are accentuated when doing so.
On Curacao, T. abdominalis are found virtually everywhere as they are abundant all over the island. Very often, they fly in mixed flocks with T. onusta and T. calverti, making exact estimations difficult, but March 2009 several locations held 100's of Tramea's. This species was seen daily. For locations, see T. onusta.