Ellura Sanctuary: Dragonflies, Mantids & Netwings

Thank you Matthew Connors for identifying this species for us

1st Live Photo on-line:
Formerly Phthersigena sp. Female ~29mm
Females have slightly reduced wings (shorter than body) and much smaller Ocellii compared to the males. Males are fully winged.
We asked Matthew if the projections out the rear end of the female were eggs. He said "No that's a normal part of the end of the abdomen, the ventroterminal lobes. They're very obvious in this one though!".
Matthew also said "Great photo of the little horn on the head!"

Imaged 4(2M,2F) in Jan(2:1M,1F) & Feb(2:1M,1F)
Imaged between 13-Feb-2010 and 30-Jan-2023

🔍S1, Male, dorsal

🔍S2, Female, dorsal

🔍S1, Male, dorsal, close

🔍S2, Female, dorsal, close

🔍S1, Male, profile

🔍S2, Female, profile

🔍S1, Male, profile, close

🔍S2, Female, Head & Front Leg

🔍S2, Female, Face

🔍S2, Female, Pronotum

🔍S2, Female, Head

🔍S2, Female, Inner Front Leg

Southern Boxer Bark Mantid
Paraoxypilus tasmaniensis

iNaturalist

Thank you Matthew Connors for identifying and Janet Whitington for confirming the id of this species for us

These are a small mandid. The females we found range in size from ~8 (nymphs) to ~17mm (adult) long, are wingless, and have a very sculptured body. Adult males are ~16-17 mm long. Male nymphs seem larger than the female nymphs, at ~13mm long.
Juvenile males are recognised by having wing buds.
Matthew said "Distinguished by prominent dorsal spines on the abdomen which it shares only with P. verreauxii"

Imaged 18(10M,8F,2J) in Jan(2F), Mar(1:1M,1J), Apr(8:7M,1F), Oct(3:1M,2F), Nov(2:1M,1F,1J) & Dec(2F)
Imaged between 30-Apr-2015 and 10-Jan-2025

🔍S2, Female Nymph, dorsal

S3, Female Nymph, dorsal

S4, Male Nymph, dorsal

S5, Male Nymph, dorsal

S6, Female Adult, dorsal

🔍S14, Male Adult, dorsal

S3, Female Nymph, close up

S4, Male Nymph, close up

S5, Male Nymph, close up

S2, Female Nymph, profile

S3, Female Nymph, profile

S4, Male Nymph, profile

S5, Male Nymph, profile

S6, Female Adult, profile

🔍S14, Male Adult, profile

🔍S15, Female Adult, profile

🔍S15, Female Adult, Antennae

S4, Male Nymph, Face

S6, Female Adult, Face

🔍S14, Male Adult, Face

S2, Female Nymph, Head

S4, Male Nymph, Head spines

S6, Female Adult, Head Spines

🔍S15, Female Adult, Head Spines

🔍S14, Male Adult, Pronotum

🔍S14, Male Adult, Pronotum & Front Leg

S2, Female Nymph, Inside Leg

S3, Female Nymph, Inside Legs

S4, Male Nymph, Inside Leg

S5, Male Nymph, Inside Leg

S6, Female Adult, Inside Legs

🔍S15, Female Adult, Inside Front Leg

🔍S14, Male Adult, Front Leg Colour

S2, Female Nymph, Thighs

🔍S2, Female Nymph, posterior

S4, Male Nymph, posterior

🔍S14, Male Adult, posterior

S2, Female Nymph, ventral

S3, Female Nymph, ventral

S6, Female Adult, ventral

Animals (Animalia) - Jointed Legs (Arthropoda) - Insects (Insecta) - Mantises (Mantodea); 11 species, 10 from Ellura - Praying Mantis (Mantidae); 9 species, 8 from Ellura

Large Brown Mantis
Archimantis latistyla

iNaturalist

Other Common Name: Grass Mantid

Thank you Matthew Connors & Aidan Beutel for confirming the id of this species for us

~90mm long Female (S2).
Normally there are 2 spots on the forewings, but here only one is seen clearly. There is a "smudge" where the second spot should be.
You can also see 2 spots on the hindwing. This is actually damage as it's not on the other side.
The female, as shown here, has short wings. The adult male has wings that go to the cerci (anal projections).
These can be green or brown, colour is not diagnostic of species. It's more about camouflage with their local environment.
Matthew indicated that the cerci are helpful in determining species (ie diagnostic). Notice here how thick the cerci are compared with the very similr A . sobrina.

Imaged 2F in Mar
Imaged between 19-Mar-2014 and 02-Mar-2023

🔍S2, Adult Female, drosal

🔍S1, Adult Female, profile

🔍S2, Adult Female, profile

S1, Adult Female, Partial Wing

🔍S1, Adult Female, Wing

🔍S2, Adult Female, Wings

S1, Adult Female, Face

S1, Adult Female, Head & Neck

S1, Adult Female, Antennae Length

🔍S2, Adult Female, Forearm

S1, Adult Female, Cercii

🔍S2, Adult Female, Cercii

🔍S2, Adult Female, ventral

Mallee Grass Mantis
Archimantis sobrina

iNaturalist

Other Common Name: Large Brown Mantid

Thank you Ethan Beaver for identifying and Matthew Connors & Mark Hura for confirming the id of this species for us

Adult females have short/half length wings; while adult males have full length wings.
The adult females we have measured are from ~85mm long (excluding cerci) to over 100mm!.
Older nymphs have wing stubs which are similar to adult female short wings. But on comparison are obviously different.
The white stripe down the back is diagnostic for this species; easy to spot in all but the adult male.
These can be green or brown, colour is not diagnostic of species. It varies as camouflage in their local environment.
When determining the gender of nymphs Honglei Chen said "Male nymphs have longer and thicker antennae."

Imaged 10(9F,3J) in Jan(4:4F,1J), Feb(2F), Mar(1F), Jun(2:1F,2J) & Nov(1F)
Imaged between 19-Jun-2011 and 21-Jan-2025

S1, Female Nymph, dorsal

S5, Adult Female, dorsal

🔍S7, Adult Female, dorsal

S5, Adult Female, profile

🔍S6, Adult Female, profile

S5, Adult Female, close up

S1, Female Nymph, Head

S5, Adult Female, face

S5, Adult Female, oscelii

S1, Female Nymph, Forearm, inner

S1, Female Nymph, Forearm, profile

S5, Adult Female, inner forearm

S5, Adult Female, wings

S1, Female Nymph, Throat

S5, Adult Female, throat

S1, Female Nymph, ventral, abdomen

S1, Female Nymph, ventral

Dryland Mantis
Coenomantis kraussiana

iNaturalist

Thank you Matthew Connors, Aidan Beutel & Matthew Hildabrand for confirming the id of this species for us

Adult males ~52-55mm long, while the female nymph was ~29mm long.
The female nymph was very colourful. At first we didn't recognise it as the same species as the adults.
Matthew Hildabrand said of S3 "Some A. latistyla can have similar very similar colouring but the stripy eyes are a dead giveaway, if it's the south half of Australia."
Matthew Connors said "I don't think any other large Australian mantis has dorsal lobes on the abdomen" (he's referring to the protrusions on top, not the flappy paddles at the end).

Imaged 5(4M,1F,1J) in Jan(2M), May(1:1F,1J), Nov(1M) & Dec(1M)
Imaged between 01-Dec-2021 and 04-Jan-2025

🔍S2, Male Adult, dorsal

🔍S3, Female Nymph, dorsal

🔍S1, Male Adult, profile

🔍S2, Male Adult, profile

🔍S3, Female Nymph, profile

🔍S2, Male Adult, Pronotum

🔍S3, Female Nymph, Thorax & Wing Buds

🔍S2, Male Adult, Front Leg

🔍S3, Female Nymph, Front Leg

S3, Female Nymph, Front Leg Spines

🔍S3, Female Nymph, Middle Leg

S1, Male Adult, Face

S2, Male Adult, Face

S3, Female Nymph, Face

S3, Female Nymph, Antenna

S3, Female Nymph, Back of Head

S3, Female Nymph, Top of Head

🔍S3, Female Nymph, Abdominal Lobes

S1, Male Adult, posterior

Australian Striped Mantid
Orthodera marginata

iNaturalist

Other Common Name: Green Mantid

Thank you Matthew Connors for identifying and Ethan Beaver for confirming the id of this species for us

We thought this was Orthodera gracilis.
Matthew & Ethan Beaver, another expert who has helped us out tremendously, wrote a paper to resolve this genus.
Matthew said the thick white stripe is diagnostic for this species. While O. margiata has a narrower white strip.

Imaged 7(2M,4F,1J) in Jan(2:1F,1J), Feb(2:1M,1F), Mar(2:1M,1F) & Apr(1F)
Imaged between 14-Apr-2016 and 12-Feb-2025

Australian Green Mantid
Orthodera ministralis

iNaturalist

Na
e m a r

Other Common Name: Garden Mantid

Thank you Matthew Connors & (CesDaMess) for confirming the id of this species for us

The nymph we found at Ellura (S4) was ~33mm long, the adult in the Adelaide (S3) Hills only ~35mm, so the nymph was close to adult size.
Matthew Connors said "You can sex any mantis of any age by counting the segments on the underside of the abdomen - males have 8 and females have 6 (can sometimes look like 7)"
He later said "You can differentiate this from O. marginatus by the thicker pronotum and the inside of the forearm coluration is different".

Imaged 7(5J) in Jan(3J), Feb(1J), Mar(1), Apr(1) & Dec(1J)
Imaged between 05-Jan-2005 and 23-Jan-2025

Adult S3

Nymph S4, dorsal

Nymph S4, profile

Nymph S4, Wing Stubs

Nymph S1, Inside Front Leg

Grass Mantid
Rhodomantis disparilis

iNaturalist

Synonym: Rhodomantis pulchella

Thank you Matthew Connors, (MrRHydon) & Norbu (Nysfour) for confirming the id of this species for us

Females have been measured at ~50mm, males ~40mm & the nymph ~30mm.
They have a dark red hind wing not visible in the photo's.
Males have nearly full length wings, whereas females have very short wings.
Note the colour under the thorax, a very smooth/plain chestnutty brown; compared with the dapled top.

Imaged 7(1M,4F,1J) in Feb(2:1F), Mar(2:1M,1F), Apr(1F), May(1F) & Dec(1J)
Imaged between 25-Feb-2015 and 24-Feb-2020

S1, Female, dorsal

🔍S2, Male, dorsal

🔍S3, Female, dorsal

🔍S5, Nymph, dorsal

🔍S3, Female, profile

🔍S4, Female, profile

S1, Female, anterior

S2, Male, anterior

S1, Female, head

🔍S1, Female, Thorax

Burying Mantis
Sphodropoda tristis

iNaturalist

Thank you Matthew Connors for confirming the id of this species for us

Here we have a big old fella. These Mandids grow to 40mm ... hmm, sorry this great, great, great grandpa is 50mm.
They are brown & white .... hmmm sorry, he's so old he's litterally turned grey.
Oh and they have a white patch on their wings .... hmmm, sorry, that's faded long ago.
The shot of him in the Melaleuca lanceolata is when we released him. Seconds after that shot he flew to the top of the bush to find dinner.
How's that red-topped abdomen! And the orange lipstick. Notice the black mouth parts. Normally you'd think that's shadow in a photo, but by using lots of light, we are able to see it's black pigment. The wings aren't supposed to be clear like that, they've just worn off any pigment that was originally there

Why Burying? We suspect because the female has a large scoop/shovel like ovipositor she uses to bury her eggs in the ground.

Imaged 1M on 01-Apr-2021

🔍Male, dorsal

🔍Male, profile

🔍Male, Standing

🔍Male, released

🔍Male, Antennae

🔍Male, Inside Front Leg

🔍Male, Red Abdomen

🔍Male, Forewing Venation

🔍Male, Hindwing Venation

🔍Male, Ocelli

🔍Male, Black Lipstick

🔍Male, ventral

Purplewinged Mantid
Tenodera australasiae

Imaged 2 in Feb(1) & Dec(1)
Imaged between 06-Feb-2006 and 28-Dec-2017

Nymph, Front

Nymph, dorsal

Green Mallee Mantis
Trachymantis dentifrons

iNaturalist

Thank you Matthew Connors for confirming the id of this species for us

Female, ~65mm long
She didn't settle until we released her in the Melaleuca, then got some better shots; particularly of the blueness of the inside front legs. As well as the blue tinge on her back/front of her wings.

Imaged 2(1M,1F) in Apr(1F) & Dec(1M)
Imaged between 14-Apr-2021 and 05-Dec-2021

🔍Female, dorsal

🔍Female, profile

🔍Female, inside leg

🔍Female, face

🔍Female, ocelli

🔍Female, ventral

Animals (Animalia) - Jointed Legs (Arthropoda) - Insects (Insecta) - Net-winged Insects (Neuroptera); 24 species, 18 from Ellura - Owlfly (Ascalaphidae); 1 species from Ellura

Split-eyed Owlfly
Megacmonotus magnus

iNaturalist

Thank you John Luck for confirming the id of this species for us

This has to be the platypus of the insect world. Damselfly wings & tail, butterfly head & antennae and massive eyes from who knows where.
Thank you to Ken Harris for pointing out this specimen is a male. Ken said "Only the male has the forked and tufted prominence on a front segment of its abdomen"

Imaged 3(1M,2F) in Feb(1F), Mar(1F) & Nov(1M)
Imaged between 22-Nov-2012 and 10-Feb-2023

S1, Male, dorsal

🔍S2, Female, dorsal

🔍S3, Female, dorsal

🔍S1, Male, profile

🔍S2, Female, profile

🔍S3, Female, profile

🔍S2, Female, iso-view

🔍S3, Female, Face

🔍S1, Male, eye & antennae

🔍S2, Female, eye

S2, Female, antenna

S1, Male, abdomen

🔍S2, Female, abdomen

🔍S1, Male, wings

🔍S2, Female, wings

🔍S3, Female, Forewing, under

🔍S3, Female, Hindwing Venation

S2, Female, posterior

🔍S2, Female, ventral

🔍S3, Female, ventral

Animals (Animalia) - Jointed Legs (Arthropoda) - Insects (Insecta) - Net-winged Insects (Neuroptera); 24 species, 18 from Ellura - Beaded Lacewing (Berothidae); 2 species from Ellura

Beaded Lacewing
Spermophorella sp

iNaturalist

Thank you Ken Harris for identifying this species for us

Imaged 6 in Jan(1), Feb(2), Oct(1), Nov(1) & Dec(1)
Imaged between 29-Dec-2015 and 25-Feb-2025

Dorsal + Hairy Wings

Profile

Head + Hairy Thorax

Slender-wing Beaded Lacewing
Trichoma gracilipenne

iNaturalist

Thank you Mark Hura for confirming the id of this species for us

~11mm long.
To the naked eye this looked like a grey moth with very little markings.
The white chequered wing edges are difficult to see.

Imaged 1 on 04-Oct-2020

🔍Dorsal

🔍Profile

🔍Antenna

🔍Body

Animals (Animalia) - Jointed Legs (Arthropoda) - Insects (Insecta) - Net-winged Insects (Neuroptera); 24 species, 18 from Ellura - Green Lacewing (Chrysopidae); 5 species, 4 from Ellura

Green Lacewing
Chrysopidae sp

Imaged 25 in Mar
Imaged on 02-Mar-2011

Eggs

Green Lacewing
Dictyochrysa peterseni

Thank you Ken Harris for identifying this species for us

Imaged 6 in Mar(1), May(1), Sep(1), Oct(2) & Nov(1)
Imaged between 05-Mar-2011 and 19-Oct-2016

Dorsal

Green Lacewing
Mallada signatus

iNaturalist

Na
e m c

Thank you Ken Harris for identifying and Vladislav Grigorenko (Grigorenko) for confirming the id of this species for us

~10mm long

Imaged 5 in Mar(1), Oct(3) & Dec(1)
Imaged between 22-Oct-2012 and 31-Dec-2024

🔍S7, dorsal

🔍S7, profile

S1, Insect Art

🔍S7, ventral

Large Eyed Green Lacewing
Mallada sp

Thank you Ken Harris for identifying this species for us

This species has incredibly long antennae.
Ken Harris said "Probably Mallada signatus, but the colour is just a bit different from most that I have seen".

Imaged 1 on 20-Dec-2016

Dorsal, ~8mm

Profile

Antenna

Ventral

Green & Blue Lacewing
Mallada tripunctatus

iNaturalist

Other Common Name: Green and Blue Lacewing

Thank you Ken Harris for confirming the id of this species for us

Imaged 5(2J) in Sep(2), Oct(1) & Dec(2J)
Imaged between 22-Sep-2016 and 20-Oct-2023

Hairy Abdomen

Dorsal, ~8mm

Wing venation

🔍Head & Neck, dorsal

🔍Head & Neck, profile

🔍Cleaning it's Antenna

Ventral

Animals (Animalia) - Jointed Legs (Arthropoda) - Insects (Insecta) - Net-winged Insects (Neuroptera); 24 species, 18 from Ellura - Dusty Lacewing (Coniopterygidae); 2 species, 1 from Ellura

Dusty Wing
Coniopterygidae sp

iNaturalist

Thank you Dr Chris Lambkin for confirming the id of this species for us

Tiny white lacewing with apparant dust covering it's body. It does seem to come off, as this is one specimen and looks less dusty after it's been in the fridge for a while.

Imaged 1 on 21-Nov-2016

Dorsal

Profile

Profile, less dusty

Ventral

Tiny Lacewing
Heteroconis maculata

iNaturalist

Thank you Ken Harris for identifying this species for us

1st Live Photo on-line:
With only ~2mm body & head length, with a wingspan of only ~5mm, this little insect is easy to miss!

Imaged 1 on 17-Oct-2017

Profile

Ventral

Animals (Animalia) - Jointed Legs (Arthropoda) - Insects (Insecta) - Net-winged Insects (Neuroptera); 24 species, 18 from Ellura - Brown Lacewing (Hemerobiidae); 5 species, 2 from Ellura

Small-footed Brown Lacewing
Carobius pedicellatus

iNaturalist

Thank you Matt Campbell, Ken Harris & Vladislav Grigorenko (Grigorenko) for confirming the id of this species for us

1st Live Photo on-line:
~5mm long, came to night light.
The wing venation is asymmetric, making it difficult to use only venation to id these.

Imaged 3(2M) in Apr
Imaged between 15-Apr-2021 and 21-Apr-2021

Male, dorsal

🔍Male, profile

🔍Male, anterior

🔍Male, Anal Appendage

🔍Male, ventral

Australian Variable Lacewing
Drepanacra binocula

iNaturalist

Na
f

Thank you Matt Campbell for confirming the id of this species for us

Imaged 1 on 10-Sep-2024

🔍S1, profile

Brown Lacewing
Hemerobiidae cf sp

Imaged 2J in May(1J) & Oct(1J)
Imaged between 15-May-2011 and 06-Oct-2015

Larva

Larva

Tasman's Lacewing
Micromus tasmaniae

iNaturalist

Na
e m a f

Thank you Matt Campbell for confirming the id of this species for us

~6mm body & length, ~20mm wingspan. The eyes can be either green or red. We removed a 11 dead ones from the car in Sept 2017 after one trip. We have found some individuals with darker wing patches (on the outer costa or leading edge) than others. We've shown this in one photo to highlight both the patch & the wing venation, which is very difficult to see properly with live specimens.
Typical lacewing shaped wings, with clear zig zag patterns. They are quite hairy all over (including the wings).

Imaged 9 in Jan(1), Jun(1), Sep(3), Oct(2), Nov(1) & Dec(1)
Imaged between 08-Oct-2016 and 09-Sep-2024

S12, dorsal

S12, profile

S13, profile, green eye

🔍S15, profile, green eye

S12, red eye

Forewing venation & dark patches

Hindwing venation & dark patches

Hairy Wing

Bowing Brown Lacewing
Psychobiella occidentalis

iNaturalist

Na
m

Thank you Vladislav Grigorenko (Grigorenko) for identifying and Dr Chris Lambkin for helping with the id of this species for us

1st Live Photo on-line:
~6mm body length, with a much larger ~19mm wingspan.
We think this is a female. Came to a night light.
They look very similar to Tasman Lacewings, but the wing venation doesn't have the tell tale dark streaks.
While these shots are all of the same specimen, we flipped the images so the head points to the left (as is our practice anyway) but here it shows both sides in the same orientation. Notice the wing venation along the leading edge (at the arrow) varies considerably from side to side. This can also be seen on the ventral shot as well.

Imaged 1 on 19-Jul-2020

🔍Profile, normal posture

🔍Profile, head up walking

🔍Profile, showing antennae

🔍Antennae

🔍Ventral

Animals (Animalia) - Jointed Legs (Arthropoda) - Insects (Insecta) - Net-winged Insects (Neuroptera); 24 species, 18 from Ellura - Mantidfly (Mantispidae); 2 species from Ellura

Mantis Lacewing
Campion callosus

iNaturalist

~9mm long. Distinctive red patch on each of it's fore & hind wings.
As the name suggests, the front legs are very mantis like. They have a large black patch on the inside which we weren't able to show clearly.

Imaged 3 in Apr(1) & Nov(2)
Imaged between 20-Nov-2020 and 08-Apr-2023

🔍Dorsal

🔍Profile

🔍Black Inner Front Thigh

🔍Face

🔍Front Leg

🔍Antennae & Neck

🔍Ventral

Black-striped Mantis Lacewing
Campion tenuistrigus

iNaturalist

~6.5 mm long. Smaller with quite different wing venation to our other Campion.
Also having a notable black stripe down it's side.

Imaged 1 on 09-Oct-2021

Dorsal

🔍Profile

🔍Neck, dorsal

🔍Wing Venation

Head, dorsal

🔍Front Legs

🔍Abdomen

Animals (Animalia) - Jointed Legs (Arthropoda) - Insects (Insecta) - Net-winged Insects (Neuroptera); 24 species, 18 from Ellura - Antlion (Myrmeleontidae); 7 species, 6 from Ellura

Patched-wing Antlion
Austrogymnocnemia meteorica

iNaturalist

Thank you Ken Harris for confirming the id of this species for us

A small specimen at ~23mm. It's been 2 years since we've seen an Antlion, and suddenly 2 on one night. Came to our night light. A very distinctive dark patch on the rear wing.

Imaged 5 in Feb(1), Mar(3) & Apr(1)
Imaged between 21-Feb-2018 and 13-Mar-2021

Dorsal

Profile

Thorax

Face

Forewing Venation

Hindwing Venation

Ventral

Small Antlion
Bandidus sp

iNaturalist

Thank you Ken Harris for confirming the id of this species for us

~23mm long, with 2 pairs of claws per leg, which look very large compared with it's small size. Came to the night light. Small, barely visible, white patches on each wing.
Ken said of this specimen it's similar to ".... Bandidus ocellonotus for which all known specimens come from South Australia, but there are several reasons why I don't believe it to be that species." Thanks Ken

Imaged 3 in Jan(1), Feb(1) & Mar(1)
Imaged between 21-Feb-2018 and 22-Jan-2023

Dorsal

Profile

Thorax

Claws

Wing Venations

Ventral

Buzzing Antlion
Compsoleon cf bembicidis

iNaturalist

1st Record in SA on Atlas
2nd Record in Australia on Atlas:
~18mm long
We had 3 come to the night light on one night. Not observed before nor since. Perhaps they are short lived, so not observed very often?

Imaged 3 in Jan
Imaged between 26-Jan-2023 and 27-Jan-2023

🔍S1, dorsal

🔍S2, dorsal

🔍S3, dorsal

🔍S3, dorsal, Wings Open

🔍S3, profile

🔍S3, White Wing Marks

🔍S3, anterior

🔍S3, Abdomen

Striped-wing Antlion
Distoleon bistrigatus

iNaturalist

Thank you Ken Harris for confirming the id of this species for us

~31mm long. Came to the night light. Very distinctive stripe on it's rear wing (which are longer than the fore wings).

Imaged 1 on 20-Mar-2018

Dorsal

Profile

Thorax

Wing Venation

Ventral

Striped-antennae Antlion
Glenoleon osmyloides

iNaturalist

~16mm long (head & body)

Imaged 1 on 07-Dec-2022

🔍Dorsal

🔍Dorsal, close

🔍Profile

🔍Face

🔍Wing Venation

🔍Iso-view

🔍Ventral

Hairy Antlion
Heoclisis fundata

iNaturalist

Thank you Ken Harris for identifying and Vladislav Grigorenko (Grigorenko) for confirming the id of this species for us

Females ~36mm to ~38mm long; Males ~33mm to ~42mm long, ~90mm wingspan.
These are very variable in colour (in both body & wing patches). The stripe pattern on the pronotum is consistent, as is the striped antennae & yellow mouth parts.
Males have 2 long anal appendages that female don't.

Imaged 9(2M,6F) in Jan(3:2F), Feb(3F), Apr(1F) & Dec(2M)
Imaged between 29-Dec-2015 and 13-Feb-2025

S1, Male, Dorsal, wings spread

S2, Male, dorsal

S2, Male, Antennae

S1, Male, Antenna & Neck

S1, Male, Yellow Mouth Parts

S2, Male, Eye

S1, Male, Back of Head

S1, Male, Forewing Venation

S2, Male, Wing Venation

S1, Male, Rearwing Venation

S1, Male, Shoulder & Wing Attachments

S1, Male, Tail Segment

S1, Male, Tail Tip + Hairy Wing Veins

S2, Male, Leg claws

S1, Male, Found on Shadecloth

🔍S1, Male, Released, Camouflage

S1, Male, Upper Body, ventral

S1, Male, Ventral

Painted-face Antlion
Myrmeleon pictifrons

iNaturalist

Na
c

~27mm long, ~65mm wingspan.
Notice the white wing patches aren't surrounded by veins. As such, we're not sure these are true "Pterostigma".

Imaged 1 on 31-Dec-2024

🔍S1, dorsal

🔍S1, profile

🔍S1, Body

🔍S1, Mandibles

🔍S1, Head & Antenna

🔍S1, Eye & Antenna

🔍S1, White Wing Patch

🔍S1, Wing Venation

🔍S1, ventral

Animals (Animalia) - Jointed Legs (Arthropoda) - Insects (Insecta) - Dragonflies (Odonata); 13 species, 10 from Ellura - Hawker Dragonfly (Epiprocta: Aeshnidae); 2 species from Ellura

Blue-spotted Hawker
Adversaeschna brevistyla

iNaturalist

Thank you Reiner Richter & Anthony Paul for confirming the id of this species for us

Notice with Dragonflies, they sit with their wings out flat, horizontally. The different sizes of the appendages between the male and female is very obvious in these images

Imaged 2(1M,1F) in Dec
Imaged between 14-Dec-2012 and 06-Dec-2016

Male, anterior

Male, profile

🔍Male, Wings & Back

🔍Male, Tail

Male, Head & Back

Male, Head & Antenna

🔍Male, Eyes

🔍Female, dorsal

🔍Female, Body

Australian Emperor
Anax papuensis

iNaturalist

Synonym: Hemianax papuensis

Thank you John Tann, Karen Weaving & Arthur Yang for confirming the id of this species for us

We caught 2 at the same time, a male and a female. They were the same length, ~64mm, but the female had a slightly larger wingspan of ~110mm, vs ~100mm for the male.
These are superficially similar to Tau Emeralds, but the abdominal (tail) patterns are quite different; and these are larger.
Notice the one with a damaged head; once we'd worked out this was a female, we surmised she has already mated as this is the area where the male clamps to.
Separating the genders is not as easy as with others in the odonata order.
John kindly sent us his descriptions which highglighted more differences between the genders than we had found.
The most obvious difference to us was in profile view, the male's thorax kicks up sharply where it joins the abdomen. The female has a gentle join.
In dorsal view, we found very little noticable difference in the wings. We find it easier to see the colour difference of the posterior pattern, and the male's significant waist, which the female is missing. John describes the female's appendages as split oval's; while he describes the male's a 'P' shaped. We were able to show these difference here, but it's not obvious in the field.

Imaged 8(5M,3F) in Jan(4:3M,1F), Mar(2:1M,1F), Nov(1M) & Dec(1F)
Imaged between 02-Jan-2011 and 30-Nov-2022

🔍S6, Female, dorsal

🔍S7, Male, dorsal

🔍S6, Female, profile

🔍S7, Male, profile

🔍S6, Female, Body, profile

🔍S6, Female, Thorax

🔍S6, Female, Face

🔍S6, Female, Appendages, profile

🔍S6, Female, Appendages, dorsal

🔍S7, Male, Appendages, dorsal

🔍S6, Female, Wing Venation

🔍S7, Male, Wing Venation

🔍S6, Female, Head, Damaged

🔍S7, Male, Head

🔍S6, Female, Wing Connections

🔍S6, Female, Close, ventral

🔍S7, Male, Close, ventral

🔍S6, Female, ventral

🔍S7, Male, ventral

S3, Female, Body

S3, Female, profile

S1 & S2 In flight

Animals (Animalia) - Jointed Legs (Arthropoda) - Insects (Insecta) - Dragonflies (Odonata); 13 species, 10 from Ellura - Emerald Dragonfly (Epiprocta: Corduliidae); 1 species from Ellura

Tau Emerald
Hemicordulia tau

iNaturalist

Na
e m a f r

Thank you Stephen Fricker for confirming the id of this species for us

Different to the Australian Emerald (H. australiae) in a few ways. The Tau has:
1. Orange leading wing veins & wing patch (pterostigma), rather than black
2. An orange spot at the end of it's tail (segment 10)
3. An inverted "T" on it's face (unfortunately we didn't capture this in the photo's, yet)

Imaged 22(11M,9F) in Jan(3M), Mar(4:1M,2F), Apr(1F), Sep(5:1M,3F), Oct(2M) & Dec(7:4M,3F)
Imaged between 24-Oct-2010 and 09-Sep-2023

Male, dorsal

Male, profile

Male, in flight

Male, Body

Male, Wing

Male, Clasps

Male, Secondary Genetalia

Male, ventral

Female, dorsal

Female, profile

Female, Body

Female, Face

Female, ventral

Pair Mating, male above

Pair Mating, rotated, male left

🔍Pair Mating, 3 pronged clasp

Animals (Animalia) - Jointed Legs (Arthropoda) - Insects (Insecta) - Dragonflies (Odonata); 13 species, 10 from Ellura - Skimmer (Epiprocta: Libellulidae); 3 species, 2 from Ellura

Wandering Percher
Diplacodes bipunctata

iNaturalist

Na
e m a f

Synonym: Libellula bipunctata

Thank you Reiner Richter & John Tann for confirming the id of this species for us

Notice with Skimmers, they sit with their wings out down, below horizontal. The males are similar to Scarlet Percher (Diplacodes haematodes), but with more black markings.

Imaged 6(3M,2F) in Jan(1), Mar(1F), May(1F), Sep(1M), Oct(1M) & Dec(1M)
Imaged between 17-Mar-2011 and 13-Sep-2024

S1, Female, dorsal

🔍S4, Teneral Male, dorsal

S4, Teneral Male, profile

S3, Male, profile

🔍S6, Male, profile

S2, Female, anterior

Scarlet Percher
Diplacodes haematodes

iNaturalist

Na
f

Thank you Dr Christopher Burwell for confirming the id of this species for us

As the name suggests, very bright red males; but not always. The redder specimens have very few black markings compared with Wandering Percher males.

Imaged 2(1M,1F) in Sep(1F) & Nov(1M)
Imaged between 04-Nov-2021 and 12-Sep-2023

🔍Male, dorsal

Blue Skimmer
Orthetrum caledonicum

iNaturalist

Na
e m a f

Thank you Reiner Richter for confirming the id of this species for us

The recent male we measured was ~47mm long with ~77mm wingspan.
These can be difficult to distinguish as both genders are yellow and black when young. As they age they turn blue. The males go a bright, light sky blue; the females become grey blue.
All males have 3 longer appendages on the rear, the females 2 shorter appendages.
If you are able to take a ventral photo, the males have additional genetals near the join between body & tail. This is what the female connects to when they are mating.
There is another very similar species found in SA, called a Black-headed Skimmer (Crocothemis nigrifrons). As the name suggests, the male has a black head & face (the blue skimmer has a yellow face). The female is very pale grassy brown, with a think black line down it's abdomen.

Imaged 11(7M,4F) in Jan(1M), Feb(2F), Mar(1M), Apr(1M), Sep(1M), Nov(3:2M,1F) & Dec(2:1M,1F)
Imaged between 02-Jan-2011 and 13-Sep-2024

🔍Male, dorsal

🔍Female, dorsal

Male, dorsal

Young Male, dorsal

🔍Male, profile

🔍Female, profile

Male, profile

Young Male, profile

Young Female, profile

🔍Male, Wings

🔍Female, Wings

Male, Face

Female, Face

Male, Head

Female, Head

Young Male, anterior

Male, anterior

Young Female, anterior

🔍Male, Posterior

🔍Female, Posterior

Animals (Animalia) - Jointed Legs (Arthropoda) - Insects (Insecta) - Dragonflies (Odonata); 13 species, 10 from Ellura - Damselfly (Zygoptera: Coenagrionidae); 4 species, 3 from Ellura

Eastern Billabongfly
Austroagrion watsoni

iNaturalist

Similar Species: Red & Blue Damselfly (Xanthagrion erythroneurum)

Thank you Dr Christopher Burwell for identifying this species for us

Females ~27mm to ~29mm long, our male was ~27mm. Our 1st 2 females were very yellow compared to most, and quite different to the blue males normally seen. S2 has more blue.
They are impossible to see when flying, for such a long species they are so thin.
We originally thought this was an Orange Threadtail (Nososticta solida), but on capture realised the head markings were different. So then thought Red & Blue Damselfly (Xanthagrion erythroneurum) ... but it was sooooo yellow!
Christopher kindly helped us out and said "One of the best characters to separate Red and Blue Damsel from Eastern Billabongly - especially useful for the females which are most similar - it the black streak low down on the side of the thorax the starts near the base of the abdomen. That streak is quite long in Eastern Billabonfly but very short in Red and Blue Damsel. It can get a bit tricky if there are shadows as the groove that the streak runs along can sometimes look dark."
We've marked the photo's to highlight the suture that Christopher is discussing.

Imaged 4(1M,3F) in Jan(2F) & Feb(2:1M,1F)
Imaged between 13-Jan-2023 and 07-Feb-2023

🔍S1, Female, dorsal

🔍S2, Female, dorsal

🔍S2, Female, profile

🔍S4, Male, profile

🔍S2, Female, Head stripe

🔍S4, Male, Head Stripe

🔍S1, Female, Abdomen, profile

🔍S4, Male, Abdomen, profile

🔍S1, Female, Stiped Legs

🔍S1, Female, Thoracic Mark

🔍S2, Female, Thorax, profile

🔍S4, Male, Thorax, profile

S1, Female, Face

S2, Female, Face

S4, Male, Face, upper

S4, Male, Face, lower

🔍S1, Female, Wing Venation

🔍S2, Female, Wing Venation

S1, Female, Tail Tip

🔍S4, Male, Mouth

🔍S4, Male, ventral

Aurora Bluetail
Ischnura aurora

iNaturalist

Thank you Graham Winterflood for identifying and Matt Campbell, Karen Weaving & Dr Christopher Burwell for confirming the id of this species for us

The green female measured at ~27mm long, while the male was slightly smaller at ~25mm; very small for an odonata.
Notice with Damselflies, they sit with their wings in vertically, flat along the body, or just above.
In relation to the differences between the females of I. aurora & I. heterosticta, Graham said "The blue spots on I. heterosticta are a larger diameter, and roundish. On I. aurora the spots are smaller and maybe triangular in shape. The location of the spots is slightly different too."

Imaged 12(5M,7F) in Jan(2:1M,1F), Feb(2M), Sep(2F), Oct(2:1M,1F), Nov(1F) & Dec(3:1M,2F)
Imaged between 19-Feb-2005 and 22-Sep-2023

S3, Male, dorsal

🔍S9, Green Female, dorsal

🔍S10, Male, dorsal

🔍S1, Male, profile

🔍S6, Female, profile

🔍S9, Green Female, profile

🔍S10, Male, profile

🔍S10, Male, Thorax

🔍S10, Male, Wings

🔍S10, Male, Abdomen

S2, Male, iso view

S4, Male, close up

S4, Male & Female, about to mate

S9, Green Female, Face

S10, Male, Face

🔍S9, Green Female, ventral

🔍S10, Male, ventral

Bluetail
Ischnura heterosticta

Na
m r

Imaged 2(1M,1F) in Jan(1M) & Mar(1F)
Imaged between 09-Jan-2005 and 13-Mar-2011

Male, profile

Red & Blue Damselfly
Xanthagrion erythroneurum

iNaturalist

Na
e m c

Other Common Name: Red and Blue Damselfly

Similar Species: Eastern Billabongfly (Austroagrion watsoni)

Thank you Reiner Richter for identifying and Graham Winterflood for confirming the id of this species for us

~29 to ~32mm long.
The intensity of red with these varies dramatically. Adults that have emerged for some time go a deep fire engine red. Most of those we've seen though have been young, "teneral"; not yet reach their full colours. Tenerals are an off white / buff Damselfly with red / orange & blue highlights with light red / orange legs. Full coloured adults have red bodies.
Finely hairy body & head.
The tail has evenly distributed black bars on top, with blue rings at the segment joins. It is off white / buff underneath.
Each wing tip has an opaque section, with edges & veins being finely serated.
The 1st specimen we caught was was trapped behind flyscreen, so we grabbed a glass & plastic cutting board and caught it. Took these photos and then let it go.
You can see it's in poor condition, with over 7 ticks, damaged eye and missing part of it's wing tip.
Graham said "Males have rings on segments 8 & 9". This is important when separating teneral males from females (which are often not red in our experience)
There's a very similar, but less observed, damselfly in SA, Orange Threadtail (Nososticta solida). Reiner said "Male Xanthagrion erythroneurum shouldn't be an issue as they have a pale start to the tail and the last two segments are half pale.
1. Nososticta solida are always orange (never red) but will be quite pale when newly emerged.
2.Xanthagrion erythroneurum has a pale bar across behind the eyes while Nososticta solida has a pair of pale spots that may get darker and indistinguishable with age or on males (?).
3. Xanthagrion erythroneurum has paler face with some uneven black markings while Nososticta solida has a black face with a prominent rectangular pale bar, but not always."

Imaged 13(6M,7F) in Jan(1F), Mar(6:3M,3F), Apr(1F), Sep(1F), Oct(1M), Nov(2:1M,1F) & Dec(1M)
Imaged between 13-Mar-2011 and 21-Dec-2022

🔍S5, Female, profile

🔍S11, Teneral Male, profile

🔍S10, Teneral Male, profile

🔍S12, Male, profile

🔍S12, Male, dorsal

S5, Perspective with Flyscreen

S5, Female, Tail, dorsal

🔍S12, Male, Tail, dorsal

S5, Female, Tail, profile

🔍S5, Female, Thoracic Mark

🔍S5, Female, Wing Tips

S5, Female, anterior, body stripe

S5, Female, cleaning her eye

S5, Female, anterior, just because

S1 & S2, Pair skimming over tadpoles

🔍S1&2, Laying eggs on nardoo, with sawfly

S3 & S4, Depositing eggs under nardoo

Animals (Animalia) - Jointed Legs (Arthropoda) - Insects (Insecta) - Dragonflies (Odonata); 13 species, 10 from Ellura - Spreadwing (Zygoptera: Lestidae); 3 species, 2 from Ellura

Blue Ringtail
Austrolestes annulosus

iNaturalist

Thank you Reiner Richter & John Tann for confirming the id of this species for us

Notice with Spreadwings, they site with their wings in vertically, flat along the body, or just above, the same as Damselflies.
The females are a very different colour to the males. Males are vivid blue, where the female are off white, with metallic patches on their dorsal surface & head.

Imaged 12(7M,5F) in Jan(4:3M,1F), Feb(2F), Mar(2:1M,1F), May(2:1M,1F), Jun(1M) & Oct(1M)
Imaged between 27-May-2010 and 22-Jan-2025

🔍Female, dorsal

Female, profile

🔍Male, profile

Female, anterior

Female, Wing Venation

Female, Head

Female, Back of Head

Female, ventral

Male, dorsal

Male, profile

Got a mate

Depositing Fertilised Eggs into Water

Inland Ringtail
Austrolestes aridus

iNaturalist