This evening, look up and you will see Globe Skimmer Dragonflies
(Pantala flavescens), famous in Kerala by the name ‘Onathumbi’, heading
towards the south or south-western direction. A city-based group of
nature watchers has started monitoring the flight of the Globe Skimmer,
believed to be the longest migration trail of any insect. And guess
where it is all headed to? Africa.
Members of the group,
Travancore Natural History Society (TNHS), are observing the phenomenon
with interest. Eldho Pachilakadan, a TNHS member, was the first to
notice a large aggregation of dragonflies. Having spotted it at a point
between Cherai and Njarakkal coasts in Ernakulam district, he followed
the trail. There were more aggregations on the way, apart from small
clusters, confirming that the migration had begun.
