NATURALISTS REDISCOVER OF TWO RARE DRAGONFLIES FROM WESTERN GHATS

 

Martin’s Duskhawker (Anaciaeschna martini)

    Dragonflies & Damselflies belong to the group called Odonates. These insects are prime ecological indicators. Serious study of Odonates of the Western Ghats has gained momentum only recently, to be precise since the early part of the last decade.  Apart from the scientific community, citizen science initiatives are also now on to identify and conserve these little-known fauna of our region. Thus, it was on the Odonates of Western Ghats Facebook group discussion between Dr. Kalesh Sadasivan, an avid naturalist from the Travancore Nature History Society (TNHS), Trivandrum, Kerala and Manoj Sethumadhavan from the Wynter-Blyth Association (WBA), The Nilgiris,  the surprising fact that one species which was described in 1922 had not been sighted in south India ever since has sprung to light.  The last record of the three species was by F.C. Fraser in 1933 from Anamalai Hills and another described in 1958 was sighted in Agasthyamalais and Kakkayam.

Dragonfly that Crosses the Seas to Africa - Article on The New Indian Express Newspaper about Dragonfly Migration (October 22, 2014) )

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.