Oriental Blue Dasher
Brachydiplax chalybea
The striking blue color on the male's abdomen is a waxy coating called pruinescence that develops as the dragonfly reaches maturity.
- Scientific name
- Brachydiplax chalybea
- Taxonomy
- Animalia › Arthropoda › Insecta › Odonata › Libellulidae › Brachydiplax
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- wetland
- Habitat
- Stagnant or slow-moving freshwater bodies including ponds, marshes, and urban garden drains.
- Diet
- Carnivorous; primarily hunts small flying insects such as mosquitoes, gnats, and midges.
- Range
- India, Southeast Asia, Southern China, Japan, Indonesia
- Size
- Wingspan of 33-40mm; total body length approximately 35mm.
- Lifespan
- 1 to 2 months as a flying adult; up to 1 year including the aquatic larval stage.
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Degradation of freshwater quality, urban sprawl, and the loss of aquatic vegetation.
- Safe to approach?
- Completely harmless to humans. These dragonflies are beneficial as they consume large quantities of mosquitoes. Avoid handling them as their wings are extremely fragile; observe their perching behavior from a distance of 1-2 meters.
Brachydiplax chalybea is a species of dragonfly in the family Libellulidae. It is known by the common names yellow-patched lieutenant , rufous-backed marsh hawk , and blue dasher . It is native to much of eastern Asia, from India to Japan to Indonesia. It is common and widespread.
Photo: desertnaturalist, CC-BY, via iNaturalist
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