A striking Scarlet Percher dragonfly

@JudyEv (328724)
Rockingham, Australia
October 20, 2020 7:05pm CST
Just recently, CarolDM (CarolDM) wrote about seeing a bee at a time when most had disappeared. You can catch up here: https://www.mylot.com/post/3407251/busy-bee-in-the-october-garden While we were in Karijini National Park in West Australia’s north-west, we saw several red dragonflies. On research, they are commonly known as Scarlet Percher dragonflies. The aboriginal name is ‘Jarloomboo’ and they are supposed to announce the start of the dry season and colder weather. However, I think this dragonfly is out of synch as the area is getting hotter and hotter. I wonder where he goes to at other times.
16 people like this
19 responses
@kobesbuddy (75887)
• East Tawas, Michigan
21 Oct 20
What a gorgeous dragon fly, it's a beautiful shade of red! We have cicadas here, when they are heard we're suppose to experience hotter weather. I doubt it, but this could possibly be true.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (328724)
• Rockingham, Australia
21 Oct 20
We have seen a few red ones up this way.
2 people like this
@kobesbuddy (75887)
• East Tawas, Michigan
21 Oct 20
@JudyEv They are absolutely beautiful! The dragon flies here are plain colors.
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@JudyEv (328724)
• Rockingham, Australia
21 Oct 20
@kobesbuddy Most of ours are more 'ordinary' too but we've seen a couple of red ones now.
1 person likes this
@much2say (54093)
• Los Angeles, California
21 Oct 20
Wow! We have red/orange dragonflies here, but it looks a bit different. Can't put my finger on how. But it sure is beautiful!
2 people like this
@much2say (54093)
• Los Angeles, California
23 Oct 20
@JudyEv Yes, VERY red!!
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@JudyEv (328724)
• Rockingham, Australia
21 Oct 20
I couldn't get over how red it was. lol
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (462827)
• Switzerland
21 Oct 20
I have never seen one so bright and red, we have some orange and some blue that fly around our pond.
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@LadyDuck (462827)
• Switzerland
22 Oct 20
@JudyEv I love to look at them, I used to empty our pond for a full cleaning, but I noticed the dragonfly larvae on the bottom and I fear to kill them. Now I clean the top with a net, I add clean water if it does not rain, but I do not empty it anymore.
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@JudyEv (328724)
• Rockingham, Australia
21 Oct 20
We have seen a few red ones now but they are certainly not common.
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@JudyEv (328724)
• Rockingham, Australia
22 Oct 20
@LadyDuck You are a very kind person to leave the larvae on the bottom of the pond.
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@wolfgirl569 (97745)
• Marion, Ohio
21 Oct 20
Animals are getting messed up by the weird weather patterns.
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@JudyEv (328724)
• Rockingham, Australia
21 Oct 20
Yes, that's very true. Do you have to rug (blanket) your horses in the winter?
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@wolfgirl569 (97745)
• Marion, Ohio
21 Oct 20
@JudyEv They grow good coats in. I have blanketed an older one at times. I let them tell me if they need it. The last one blanketed was over 30 and she would only leave it on after we got below zero F.
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@JudyEv (328724)
• Rockingham, Australia
21 Oct 20
@wolfgirl569 Certainly some grow very effective coats.
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@rakski (112924)
• Philippines
21 Oct 20
oh, this is the first time I saw a red one.
2 people like this
@rakski (112924)
• Philippines
21 Oct 20
@JudyEv so very true!
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (328724)
• Rockingham, Australia
21 Oct 20
And he is very red, isn't he? All of him. lol
4 people like this
@Hytton03 (5454)
• Philippines
21 Oct 20
Wow its really red.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (328724)
• Rockingham, Australia
21 Oct 20
It is indeed.
1 person likes this
@rsa101 (38013)
• Philippines
21 Oct 20
It is somewhat rare for me to see them here. Most of them are green in color and those red ones are very rare. I think that they just go to places where they can tolerate.
1 person likes this
@rsa101 (38013)
• Philippines
21 Oct 20
@JudyEv And l think they need fresh air too.
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@JudyEv (328724)
• Rockingham, Australia
21 Oct 20
Yes, I guess not every environment is suitable. They would need moisture I would think.
1 person likes this
@rebelann (111676)
• El Paso, Texas
21 Oct 20
Wow, what a kool dragonfly. I haven't seen one since 2007. They tend to come round if there are mosquitoes but it was pretty dry here from 2008 through 2019, when we get a drought it's usually a 7 to 10 year event
1 person likes this
@rebelann (111676)
• El Paso, Texas
21 Oct 20
Yes, they usually lay their eggs in moist tall grasses or bodies of water @JudyEv If I let the outdoor water bowls sit too long I would get mosquitoes but I generally refresh the birds and pups water every day so they don't have a chance to hatch if some were laid.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (328724)
• Rockingham, Australia
21 Oct 20
I guess they have to have water somewhere in the vicinity just to exist.
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@1creekgirl (40821)
• United States
21 Oct 20
He might be confused, but he sure is beautiful.
1 person likes this
@1creekgirl (40821)
• United States
21 Oct 20
@JudyEv We have pretty dragon flies here (we call them mosquito hawks), but none as striking as that red one.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (328724)
• Rockingham, Australia
21 Oct 20
@1creekgirl Mosquito hawks is a good name for them.
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@JudyEv (328724)
• Rockingham, Australia
21 Oct 20
I couldn't get over how red he was.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (119129)
• Gainesville, Florida
21 Oct 20
What a beautiful dragonfly! You would think that the bright red color would make it an easy target for prey to spot and catch it (and eat it for a meal).
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (119129)
• Gainesville, Florida
27 Oct 20
@JudyEv I have no idea. I'm sure there is something out there that eats them. I've seen fish eat them when they fly too low to the water's surface, but I wonder if maybe there are also some birds that eat them?
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (328724)
• Rockingham, Australia
27 Oct 20
@moffittjc I should think some birds would eat them. They don't seem much different foodwise from other insects.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (328724)
• Rockingham, Australia
21 Oct 20
I wonder what eats dragonflies. Do you know? I'm sure I don't.
@DianneN (247204)
• United States
21 Oct 20
That's a beauty!!!!
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (328724)
• Rockingham, Australia
21 Oct 20
I'm glad you think so too. It is very 'red'.
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@DianneN (247204)
• United States
21 Oct 20
@JudyEv Doodles would have loved it, too!
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (328724)
• Rockingham, Australia
22 Oct 20
@DianneN Oh, poor Doodles. I'm sure he would have loved a red dragonfly.
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (161187)
• United States
21 Oct 20
How unusual. Great picture.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (328724)
• Rockingham, Australia
21 Oct 20
Thanks. I was lucky that he sat still long enough for me to zoom in as much as possible then I cropped the photo as well.
1 person likes this
@CarolDM (203449)
• Nashville, Tennessee
21 Oct 20
Wow it blends in so well. What a beauty.
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@JudyEv (328724)
• Rockingham, Australia
21 Oct 20
Yes, it does blend in. The earth up there is very red.
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• India
21 Oct 20
All creatures in australia are amazing
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@JudyEv (328724)
• Rockingham, Australia
21 Oct 20
I guess every country has its unique animals but it's true that Australia does have some unusual ones.
• India
21 Oct 20
@JudyEv yes they do.
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@Shavkat (137310)
• Philippines
21 Oct 20
I haven't seen this kind of color.
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@JudyEv (328724)
• Rockingham, Australia
21 Oct 20
I haven't seen it very often either.
1 person likes this
• United States
21 Oct 20
what a beauty! so glad y'all 've seen some there. i believe that many critters 're most confused this year. such's the same here 't least. i'd the need to 've a stern conversation with the ponies last eve. they've yet to grow their winter coats 'n we're gonna get hammered with frigid air, winds 'n e'en the possibility 'f snow/freezin' sleet come monday/tuesday. a cruel joke with temps 'f the low-mid 30's (f) fer the highs, 'fter sunday bein' 70 degrees. gonna be brutal, pulled out their blankets jest'n case.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (328724)
• Rockingham, Australia
21 Oct 20
Animals do get tricked from time to time with the seasons that's for sure. It's good you have blankets for them.
1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (74880)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
21 Oct 20
That is so amazing and I love its red color, I have seen many dragonflies but non in that color,
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (328724)
• Rockingham, Australia
21 Oct 20
We were very intrigued with our first red one but we're seen a few this colour since.
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@Dena91 (16049)
• United States
21 Oct 20
I didn't know red dragonflies exsisted. Beautiful.
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@JudyEv (328724)
• Rockingham, Australia
21 Oct 20
We were surprised when we saw our first one but we've seen a few now. He is certainly beautiful.
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@chamae (69)
21 Oct 20
in my childhood days i and my childhood friends use to catch dragonflies...it has different colors and we also saw like baby dragonflies...super tiny than this in your photo...
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (328724)
• Rockingham, Australia
21 Oct 20
I don't think I've ever seen a baby dragonfly.