Archaeosynthemis orientalis
EASTERN BROWN TIGERTAIL
Family Synthemistidae
A female Eastern Brown Tigertail near Biscuit Creek Ebor NSW on March 15th 2016.
A female Eastern Brown Tigertail near Biscuit Creek Ebor NSW on March 15th 2016.
It had been exceptionally dry in the Armidale - Guyra area for the previous 2 years (2014-2016). A number of creeks looked completely dry including one near the Native Dog Creek rest area in the Cathedral Rocks National park. It didn’t look good for dragonfly hunting.
A friend and I came across a very dry swamp near this national park and to our surprise noticed a number of dragonflies flying there. We were very pleased to find it was an uncommon species - the Eastern Brown Tigertail.
There were 6 or 7 males flying intermittently, low over the swamp and having a few disputes over this quite small habitat. A pair of these Tigertails joined and mated in midair and eventually landed on some low vegetation in the swamp. When they separated the male disappeared while the female rested nearby. I wondered where the female would lay her eggs as it seemed so dry.
A male Eastern Brown Tigertail near Biscuit Creek Ebor NSW on March 15th 2016.
