Manipulated dragonfly photo. David Clode.
Photos of Australian dragonflies and damselflies, taken mostly in North Queensland, Australia: Jewel Flutterer dragonfly Rhyothemis resplendens, Graphic Flutterer dragonfly Rhyothemis graphiptera, Yellow-striped Flutterer dragonfly Rhyothemis phyllis, Rhyothemis princeps Sapphire Flutterer, Rhyothemis variegata Australia, Orthetrum sabina, Ictinogomphus australis, Diplacodes bipunctata, Neurothemis stigmatizans, Hemicordulia australiae, Tramea/Trapezostigma loewii, Tropical Rockmaster damselfly Diphlebia euphoeoides, mating dragonflies, dragonfly laying eggs, flying dragonflies, tail dipping dragonfly photos.
A high number of species and a high number of individuals of dragonflies can be an indication of a healthy ecosystem, especially healthy aquatic systems.
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A video below of damselflies mating. Nososticta solida. Lake Barrine, North Queensland, Australia. Video by David Clode.
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A video of A Graphic Flutterer Rhyothemis graphiptera.
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A video of a Jewel Flutterer Rhyothemis resplendens.
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Jewel Flutterer Rhyothemis resplendens. Lake Barrine, Australia, Photo: David Clode.
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Jewel Flutterer Rhyothemis resplendens. Lake Barrine, Australia. Photo: David Clode.
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Dragonfly, Cairns Cemetery swamp. Australasian Slimwing Lathrecista asiatica ssp. festa. Photo: David Clode.
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Australasian Slimwing Lathrecis asiatica ssp. festa. Cairns Botanic Gardens.Photo: David Clode.
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Thanks to Ron Orenstein for correctly identifying Orthetrum sabina (which I mistook for Austrogomphus prasinus). Ron is the author of numerous excellent books, see also his blog http://ronorenstein.blogspot.com.au (and comment at the bottom of the page).
Thanks to Hidetoshi Kudo for identifying Camacinia Othello.
I like the way this photo has just a hint of the water in the bottom right hand corner. Hemicordulia australiae. Photo: David Clode.
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Close up. Cairns cemetery swamp. Photo david Clode.
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Australian dragonfly photo by David Clode. Probably a Fiery Skimmer Orthetrum villosovittatum.
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Australian dragonfly photo by David Clode. Photographed at Hartleys Crocodile Adventures North of Cairns in Australia. I don’t know the species.
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Tropical Rockmaster damselfly, Crystal Cascades. Photo, David Clode.
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“Touch down’. The split second in which a dragonfly (Rhyothemis phyllis) lands on it’s perch.
Photo: David Clode.
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Two Tropical Rockmaster damselflies share a favourite perch. Diphlebia euphoeoides. Photo: Crystal Cascades, David Clode.
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Tropical Rockmaster damselflies lined up like planes on a runway. Photo: David Clode.
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Tropical Rockmaster damselfly. Crystal Cascades, Cairns.. Photo: David Clode.
More Tropical Rockmaster photos further down this page.
Mating damselflies. Photo: David Clode.
Some photos of dragonflies in flight:
“Helicopter”. Flying (taking off) Tropical Rockmaster damselfly. Photo: David Clode.
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In this manipulated photo I have attempted to give an impression of motion in flight. Graphic Flutterer dragonfly in flight. Saltwater lake, Cairns.Photo: David Clode.
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“Dragonfly standoff”. Cattana wetlands. Photo: David Clode.
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“Disputed perch”. Freshwater lake, Cairns. Photo: David Clode.
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Flying dragonfly photographed from underneath. Photo: David Clode.
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Rhyothemis phyllis dragonfly in flight: David Clode.
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Flying Rhyothemis phyllis dragonfly. Photo: David Clode.
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Rhyothemis Phyllis tail dipping. Photo: David Clode.
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Dragonfly in flight, Hemicordulia australiae. This species seems to be inquisitive, and will even come over to have a look at you. They also tend to hover for a second or two, occasionally giving you just enough time to get it in the frame, and in focus, and take the photo. Freshwater lake, Cairns, Australia. Photo: David Clode.
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Dragonfly in flight. Photo: David Clode.
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Flying dragonfly. Photo: David Clode.
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Flying dragonfly. Photo: David Clode.
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Flying dragonfly. Photo: David Clode.
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Hemicordulia australiae in flight. Cattana wetlands. Photo: David Clode.
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“Chemistry”. Orthetrum villosovittatum?. Photo: David Clode.
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The Black Knight Camacinia Othello in flight. photo: david Clode. Freshwater Lake, Cairns, Australia.
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Rhyothemis graphiptera flying. Photo: David Clode.
Hemicordulia australiae photos:
You can just make out the egg or eggs under the tip of the tail. A second or two later, it was laying eggs in the water – see photo below. Hemicordulia australiae. Photo: David Clode.
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Hemicordulia australiae laying eggs, Cairns Botanic Gardens. Photo: David Clode.
Diplacodes bipunctata dragonfly photos:
Diplacodes bipunctata dragonfly. Freshwater lake, Cairns, North Queensland. Photo: David Clode.
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Red dragonfly. Photo: David Clode.
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Diplacodes bipunctata dragonfly. Cairns. Photo: David Clode.
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Diplacodes bipunctata and Orthetrum serapia sharing a perch. Photo: David Clode.
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Diplacodes bipunctata dragonfly hovering. I like the blurred wings as they give a sense of fast movement. Photo: David Clode.
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Diplacodes bipunctata dragonfly in flight. Freshwater lake, Cairns. Photo: David Clode.
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Mating dragonflies. Photo: David Clode.
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In this photo, the male (red) is most likely holding on to the female after mating, to guard against other males mating with her. Cattana wetlands. Photo: David Clode.
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A dragonfly eating an insect it has caught. Photo: David Clode.
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A dragonfly eating an insect or insects it has caught. It looks like it has perched to finish off its meal at leisure. Freshwater Lake. Photo: David Clode.
Yellow-striped Flutterer dragonfly photos Rhyothemis phyllis:
Yellow-striped Flutterer Rhyothemis phyllis. Freshwater lake, Cairns. Photo: David Clode.
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Yellow-striped Flutterer Rhyothemis phyllis. Freshwater lake Cairns. Photo: David Clode.
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“Coming in to land” Rhyothemis phyllis. Photo: David Clode.
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Rhyothemis species in flight. Is this Rhyothemis variegata? If so, it is the only record I am aware of in Australia. It is native to India through SE Asia. Freshwater Lake, Cairns, Australia. Photo: David Clode
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Rhyothemis phyllis flying. Cairns Botanic gardens. Photo: David Clode.
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Yellow-striped Flutterer dragonfly, view from below. Photo: David Clode.
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Yellow-sriped Flutterer. Freshwater lake, North Queensland, Australia. Photo: David Clode,
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Yellow-striped flutterer dragonfly Rhyothemis phyllis. Freshwater lake, Cairns. Photo: David Clode.
Ictinogomphus australis photos:
Ictinogomphus australis. Freshwater lake, Cairns.
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Ictinogomphus australis. Cattana wetlands. Photo: David Clode.
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Ictinogomphus australis. Cattana wetlands. Photo: David Clode.
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Ictinogomphus australis. Cattana wetlands. Photo: David Clode.
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Ictinogomphus Australis. Freshwater Lake Cairns, Australia.
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Ictinogomphus Australis. Photo: David Clode.
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Ictinogomphus australis. Photo: David Clode.
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The same dragonfly in the three photos above eventually allowed me to touch its wings. Photo: David Clode.
Orthetrum serapia dragonfly photos:
Orthetrum serapia. Freshwater lake, Cairns Botanic gardens. Photo: David Clode.
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Orthetrum serapia dragonfly flying. Freshwater lake, Cairns. Photo: David Clode.
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Orthetrum serapia tail dipping. Cairns. Photo: David Clode.
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Orthetrum Serapia mating. David Clode.
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Macro photo of the eyes of the dragonfly Orthetrum serapia. Photo: David Clode.
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Tramea loewii (Trapezostigma loewii) dragonfly photos:
Common glider Tramea/Trapezostigma loewii. Cairns Bot gardens. Photo: David Clode4
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Tramea. Photo: David Clode.
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Tramea loewii in flight. Photo: David Clode.
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Tramea in flight. David Clode.
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Trapezostigma loewii in flight Cairns Botanic gardens. Photo: David Clode.
I like the complementary colours of red and green in the above photo.
Tramea loewii. I do not know what is on the side of its thorax – parasites? Eggs? Cattana wetalands. Photo: David Clode.
Neurothemis dragonfly photos:
Painted Grasshawk dragonfly Neurothemis stigmatizans. Cairns cemetery. Photo: David Clode.
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Neurothemis stigmatizans. Photo: David Clode.
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Neurothemis stigmatizans. Photo: David Clode.
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Neurothemis stigmatizans. Pond in the Cairns Botanic gardens, Australia. Photo: David Clode.
Camacinia othello Black Knight dragonfly photos:
Thank you to Hidetoshi Kudo for identifying this species.
Female dragonfly tail-dipping laying eggs, males buzzing around, apparently intrigued by it all. Camacinia othello, Cairns Botanic gardens. Thank you to Hidetoshi Kudo for identifying this species. Photo: David Clode.
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The Black Knight, Camacinia othello, in flight. Photo: David Clode..
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The Black Knight Camacinia othello. Photo: David Clode.
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The Black Knight Camacinia othello. Photo: David Clode.
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Orthetrum serapia Dragonfly. The blurred waterlily flower in the background is Nymphaea caerulea. Photo: David Clode.
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Dragonfly close up. Photo: David Clode.
Orthetrum caledonicum dragonfly photos:
Dragonfly eyes. Possibly a Palemoth shorttail Brachydiplax denticauda. Photo: David Clode.
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Dragonfly. Photo: David Clode.
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Dragonfly eye. Orthetrum caledonicum. Photo: David Clode.
Graphic Flutterer dragonfly photos Rhyothemis graphiptera:
Rhyothemis graphiptera. Cattana Wetlands. Photo: David Clode.
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Rhyothemis graphiptera Graphic Flutterer. Cattana . Photo: David Clode.
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Graphic Flutterer, Cattana. Photo: David Clode.
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Macro photo of R. graphiptera. Saltwater Lake Cairns. Photo: David Clode.
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Rhyothemis graphiptera. Saltwater Lake Cairns. Photo: David Clode.
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Just about to land. Photo: David Clode. Saltwater Lake Cairns.
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Graphic Flutterer photographed from underneath. I like the way the markings on the wings echo the clouds. Cattana wetlands. Photo: David Clode.
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Rhyothemis graphiptera dragonfly photographed from underneath. Cattana. Photo: David Clode.
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Graphic Flutterer Rhyothemis graphiptera. Cattana wetlands. Photo: David Clode.
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Graphic Flutterer flying. Photo: David Clode.
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Mating Graphic Flutterer dragonflies. Rhythemis graphiptera. Cattana wetlands. Photo: David Clode.
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Photo: David Clode.
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Jewel Flutterer dragonfly photos Rhyothemis resplendens:
Jewel Flutterer dragonfly Rhoythemis resplendens. Cairns botanic gardens. Photo: David Clode.
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Rhyothemis resplendens. Photo: David Clode.
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Jewel Flutterer dragonfly Rhyothemis resplendens. Cairns botanic gardens. Photo: David Clode.
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Jewel Flutterer dragonfly Rhyothemis resplendens. Photo: David Clode.
After discussions with Australia Post, the photo above will be used by Australia Post in a DVD, and possibly a stamp, or some other usage.
Rhyothemis resplendens Jewel Flutterer dragonfly. Cairns Bot gardens. Photo: David Clode.
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A fluttering Jewel Flutterer. Photo: David Clode.
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Jewel Flutterer Rhyothemis resplendens. Photo: David Clode.
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Dragonfly photo by David Clode.
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Rhyothemis resplendens. Photo: David Clode.
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Dragonfly close up. Photo: David Clode.
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Dragonfly portrait. Photo: David Clode.
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Rhyothemis resplendens in an unusual pose. Freshwater lake, Cairns. Photo: David Clode.
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Rhyothemis princeps. Zircon flutterer. Cattana Wetlands, Cairns, Australia.. Photo: David Clode.
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Dragonfly, Cairns Cemetery swamp. Australasian Slimwing Lathrecis asiatica ssp. festa. Photo: David Clode.
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Tropical Rockmaster Diphlebia euphoeoides photos. All photos taken at Crystal Cascades (a popular rain forest swimming spot), Cairns, North Queensland, Australia.
Photo: David Clode.
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Female Tropical Rockmaster. Crystal Casacdes, Cairns. Photo: David Clode.
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Female Tropical Rockmaster. David Clode.
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Tropical Rockmaster damselfly (male). Photo: David Clode.
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Tropical Rockmaster – immature male? Photo: David Clode.
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Male Tropical Rockmaster. Crystal Cascades, Cairns. Photo: David Clode.
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Tropical Rockmaster. Photo: David Clode.
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Tropical Rockmaster damselfly. Crystal Cascades. Photo: David Clode.
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Dragonfly, Cattana wetlands:
Dragonfly Cattana watlands. Red Arrow Rhodothemis lieftincki. Photo: David Clode.
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A few artistic photos, enhanced in Photoshop Elements to try and capture a sense of the amazing flying abilities of dragonflies.
Manipulated dragonfly photo. David Clode.
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Dragonfly in flight. Cairns. Photo: David Clode.
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Manipulated dragonfly photo. David Clode.
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“Neon dragonfly 2”. Photo: David Clode.
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Artistic photo of a flying dragonfly. Photo: David Clode.
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Neon Dragonfly. Photo: David Clode.
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“Pastel” Tramea loewii in flight. Photo: Freshwater lake, Cairns, David Clode.
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Flying dragonfly. An arty version, enhanced with Photoshop Elements. Tramea loewii, Freshwater lake, Cairns. Photo: David Clode.
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Flying dragonfly. An arty version, enhanced with Photoshop. Tramea loewii, Freshwater lake, Cairns. Photo: David Clode.
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Dragonfly sculpture on a rain tree, about 1.5m across, Cairns Esplanande Lagoon. Photo: David Clode.
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Reforestation.me 
Thanks for sharing the lots of great photos. I really enjoyed watching the close-up. I came across your page as I was looking for information on a particular Neurothemis species and I noticed that the dragonfly you put Neurothemis sp. is possibly Camacinia othello. The photo of two males chasing the tail-dipping female is the best of all.
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Hi Hidetoshi,
Thank you very much for identifying Camacinia othello! I have changed the captions accordingly.
Best wishes,
David Clode.
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Wow! My favourites are the close ups of the Jewel Flutterer (what a great name!). The images come alive with the lighting and movements that you capture. Awesome work. Thanks for sharing so freely 🙂
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Hi Laya. Thanks for your comment, and it is my pleasure to share with those who enjoy the same things. Best wishes, David.
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Hi David – These are lovely photos. I hope to be in the Cairns area in June (first time since 1973!) and this will be a very useful page. However, I think that the dragonflies you call Austrogomphus prasinus are really Orthetrum sabina. Notice that the eyes touch, which should not be the case for any gomphid. The swollen abdominal base is also very typical of sabina, a species I am familiar with from Malaysia where it is very common (I have many photos of it on my blog; see, eg, http://ronorenstein.blogspot.ca/2013/07/sarawak-dragonflies-and-mangosteens.html). Compare the closeup of A. prasinus at https://www.flickr.com/photos/13734918@N00/15696516994/ – you can see that the eyes are much more widely separated than on the insects in your photos. Best regards – Ron
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Hi Ron, I am not an expert on dragonflies, so I am sure you are right. Thanks for taking the time to comment. Best wishes, David.
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Hi David I am writing a poem about blue dragonflies- the tropical rockmaster damselfly. would I be able to use your photos – and attribute them to you?
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You are welcome to freely use my photos.
Best wishes, David.
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HI David,
I am Hidetoshi again. Your possible sighting of Rhyothemis variegata is very interesting. I would like to point out some id issues. All of the dragonfly you are calling Orthetrum sabina is actually Orthetrum serapia. We get sabina in Cairns too. But you need a little training to tell apart these two species. Another one is the close-up of Orthetrum caledonicum. It looks so much like a male Diplacodes trivialis. Hope you can check them again. Thank you for the great photos. Very enjoyable.
Kind regards,
Hidetoshi
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Hi Hidetoshi,
Thanks for your input. I am not an expert on dragonflies, so your identifications are probably correct, I just think that they are amazing creatures and enjoy observing them and photographing them.
Best wishes and thanks again,
David.
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I just found your page, amazing photographs, I love Dragonflies, the most incredible insects in the world.
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