Dragonflies Field Guide
of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
This page is the Quick Field Guide of Dragonflies in Brisbane. This includes most of the common species found in Brisbane and South East Queensland. For the complete list you should check the reference books listed at the end of this page. For Quick Field Guide of Damselflies in Brisbane please click here.
Dragonflies with dark brown patterns on yellow colours
-
Petalura litorea,
Coastal Petaltail,
male - Male and female : Female about the same, without petal
- Body length : 100mm
- Habits : Rest with body hanging 45 degree on plant in thick vegetations
- Habitat : Boggy seepage
- Status : Rare
- We found them at : Yugarapul Park
Hemianax papuensis, Australian
Emperor,
male- Male and female : Female about the same
- Body length : 65mm
- Habits : Non-stop flying over the ponds and streams
- Habitat : Running and still waters
- Status : Very common
- We found them at : Most creeks and ponds
Ictinogomphus australis, Australian Tiger,
male- Male and female : Female about the same, with thicker abdomen
- Body length : 65mm
- Habits : Perch at the best position of the area
- Habitat : Large area of still and slow running waters
- Status : Common
- We found them at : Bulimba Creek, Mt Coot-tha Botanic Garden, Moolabin Creek in Moorooka
Austrogomphus amphiclitus, Pale Hunter,
male- Male and female : Female about the same
- Body length : 50mm
- Habits : Perch on plants not too far away from waters, with tail arched
- Habitat : Running waters
- Status : Fairly common
- We found them at : Bulimba Creek, Yugarapul Park
Austrogomphus melaleucae, Twin
Spot Hunter, male- Male and female : Female about the same, with slightly thinker abdomen
- Body length : 45mm
- Habits : Perch on plants next to waters, with tail arched
- Habitat : Running waters
- Status : Uncommon
- We found them at : Bulimba Creek in Macgregor
Choristhemis flavoterminata, Yellow-tipped
Tigertail,
male- Male and female : Female about the same
- Body length : 47mm
- Habits : fly slowly three meters about ground near creek, rest on low plants hanging vertically
- Habitat : Running waters
- Status : Locally common
- We found them at : Moolabin Creek, Oxley Creek
Parasynthemis regina,
Royal Tigertail,
male- Male and female : Female about the same
- Body length : 55mm
- Habits : fly in fast to medium speed, hovering above water, resting on grass occasionally
- Habitat : sluggish stream that dry to pools
- Status : Rare, locally common
- We found them at : Karawatha Forest, Frog Hollow
Hemicordulia australiae, Australian Emerald,
male- Male and female : Female about the same
- Body length : 50mm
- Habits : Males non-stop patrolling territories half a meter above water, rest in evening hanging vertically
- Habitat : Running and still waters
- Status : Very common
- We found them at : Most ponds and creeks
Hemicordulia
continentalis,
Fat-bellied Emerald, male- Male and female : Female about the same
- Body length : 40mm
- Habits : Males flight rapidly on a set course above creek, rest hanging vertically
- Habitat : Running waters
- Status : Uncommon
- We found them at : Bulimba Creek in Macgregor, Yugarapul Park
Hemicordulia tau, Tau Emerald, male- Male and female : Female about the same
- Body length : 50mm
- Habits : Males patrol territories above water, rest hanging vertically
- Habitat : Creeks
- Status : Uncommon
- We found them at : Moolabin Creek
Nannophlebia risi,
Common Archtail, mlae- Male and female : Female above the same
- Body length : 32mm
- Habits : Perch with tail arch, slow flight
- Habitat : Running waters
- Status : Uncommon
- We found them at : Pryde Creek near Lake Wivenhoe
Orthetrum caledonicum, Blue Skimmer, female- Male and female : Male blue, same size, some female blue in colour as well
- Body length : 45
- Habits : Females come to waters for laying eggs
- Habitat : Still and running waters
- Status : Very common
- We found them at : Most ponds and creeks
Orthetrum
sabina, Slender Skimmer, female- Male and female : Male and female about the same
- Body length : 50mm
- Habits : Perch with wings hold forward and depressed
- Habitat : Slow running and still waters, include temporary ponds
- Status : Fairly common
- We found them at : Temporary ponds in Karawatha Forest
Hydrobasileus brevistylus, Water
Prince, Female- Male and female : Male about the same
- Body length : 50mm
- Habits : Fly high and fast, females only come to waters for laying eggs
- Habitat : Slow running and still waters
- Status : Fairly common
- We found them at : Bulimba Creek, Moolabin Creek, Botanic Garden
Telephlebia
tryoni, Coastal Evening Darner, female- Male and female : Male about the same
- Body length : 75mm
- Habits : Rest in thick vegetations, active in the evening
- Habitat : Slow running creek with thick vegetations
- Status : Rare
- We found them at : Yugarapul Park
Crocothemis nigrifrons, Black-headed
Skimmer, female- Male and female : Male blue, same size
- Body length : 45mm
- Habits : Females come to waters for laying eggs, usually guarding by male
- Habitat : Still and slowly running waters
- Status : Very common
- We found them at : Most ponds and creeks
Orthetrum villosovittatum, Fiery Skimmer,
male- Male and female : Male same size, red in colour
- Body length : 45mm
- Habits : Females come to waters for laying eggs
- Habitat : Still and running waters
- Status : Very common
- We found them at : Most ponds and creeks
Diplacodes haematodes, Scarlet Percher ,
female- Male and female : Male red, same size
- Body length : 35mm
- Habits : Females back to waters for laying eggs, with male in tandem
- Habitat : Still and running waters, especially rocky creeks
- Status : Common
- We found them at : Bulimba Creek
Diplacodes bipunctata, Wanderer Percher,
female - Male and female : Male red, same size
- Body length : 32mm
- Habits : Immature adults hunt far away from waters
- Habitat : All type of waters, especially ponds with dense vegetations
- Status : Very common
- We found them at : Ponds in Eight Mile Plains, Botanic Garden, Karawatha Forest
Rhyothemis graphiptera,
Graphic Flutterer,
male- Male and female : Female about the same
- Body length : 33mm
- Habits : Fly slowly, usually gliding with flutter wings, change speed and direction suddenly
- Habitat : Large still waters
- Status : Common
- We found them at : Macgregor, Oxley Creek, Bulimba Creek, Botanic Garden
Rhyothemis phyllis, Yellow-striped Flutterer,
male- Male and female : Female about the same
- Body length : 40mm
- Habits : Flight with fluttering in slow speed, gliding most of the time
- Habitat : Large still waters
- Status : Fairly common
- We found them at : Oxley Creek, Bulimba Creek, Botanic Garden, lagoon in Karawatha Forest
Zyxomma
elgneri,
Short-tailed Duskdarter, male - Male and female : Female pale brown, about the same size or slightly larger
- Body length : 45mm
- Habits : Active in evening, fly quickly along creek
- Habitat : Creek with ponds
- Status : Uncommon
- We found them at : Moolabin Creek
Zyxomma
elgneri,
Short-tailed Duskdarter, female - Male and female : Female pale brown, about the same size or slightly larger
- Body length : 48mm
- Habits : Active in evening, fly quickly along creek
- Habitat : Creek with ponds
- Status : Uncommon
- We found them at : Moolabin Creek
Austroaeschna unicornis, Unicorn Darner,
female- Male and female : male look different, see picture next below
- Body length : 50mm
- Habits : Non-stop flying on sunny days, rest within dense vegetations
- Habitat : Rivers and streams
- Status : Uncommon
- We found them at : Bulimba Creek, Yugarapul Park, Alexandra Hill
Austroaeschna unicornis, Unicorn Darner,
male- Male and female : female look different, see picture above
- Body length : 75mm
- Habits : Non-stop flying on sunny days, rest within dense vegetations
- Habitat : Rivers and streams
- Status : Uncommon
- We found them at : Bulimba Creek, Yugarapul Park, Alexandra Hill
Adversaeschna
brevistyla, Blue-spotted Hawker, male- Male and female : About the same
- Body length : 65mm
- Habits : Fly fast and high, rest high on trees
- Habitat : Ponds, slow flowing streams and rivers
- Status : Fairly common
- We found them at : Scrubby Creek in Karawatha Forest,
Crocothemis nigrifrons, Black-headed
Skimmer,
male- Male and female : Female yellow, same size
- Body length : 45mm
- Habits : Male perch at the same spot, with wings hold forward and depressed
- Habitat : Still and slowly running waters
- Status : Very common
- We found them at : Most ponds and creeks
Orthetrum caledonicum, Blue Skimmer,
male- Male and female : Female yellow to pale blue, same size
- Body length : 45
- Habits : Male perch at the same spot, with wings hold forward and depressed
- Habitat : Still and running waters
- Status : Very common
- We found them at : Most ponds and creeks
Brachydiplax denticauda, Palemouth Shorttail, male- Male and female : Female with mixed blue and yellow, about the same size
- Body length : 35mm
- Habits : Fly short distance always return to same perch
- Habitat : Still waters
- Status : Fairy common
- We found them at : Ponds in Wishart
Orthetrum villosovittatum, Fiery
Skimmer,
male- Male and female : Female same size, yellow in colour
- Body length : 45mm
- Habits : Males are territorial and often return to the same spot
- Habitat : Still and running waters
- Status : Very common
- We found them at : Most ponds and creeks
Rhodothemis lieftincki,
Red Arrow, male- Male and female : Female same size, orange in colour
- Body length : 40mm
- Habits : Perch on plants, easily disturbed
- Habitat : Large still waters
- Status : not common
- We found them at : Lagoon in Karawatha Forest
Diplacodes haematodes, Scarlet Percher ,
male- Male and female : Female pale yellow, same size
- Body length : 35mm
- Habits : Perch on rock, sand and low vegetations
- Habitat : Still and running waters, especially rocky creeks
- Status : Common
- We found them at : Bulimba Creek
Diplacodes bipunctata, Wanderer Percher,
male - Male and female : Female pale yellow, same size
- Body length : 32mm
- Habits : Immature adults hunt far away from waters
- Habitat : All type of waters, especially ponds with dense vegetations
- Status : Very common
- We found them at : Ponds in Eight Mile Plains, Botanic Garden, Karawatha Forest
Diplacodes
Melanopsis, Black Faced Percher,
male - Male and female : orange-grey to greenish-grey, same size
- Body length : 35mm
- Habits : Immature adults hunt far away from waters
- Habitat : Perch on low vegetations
- Status : Fairy common
- We found them at : The Lagoon in Karawatha Forest
Urothemis
aliena, Red Baron, male - Male and female : Female about the same
- Body length : 50mm
- Habits : Strong flyer, when rest, they perch on highest tip of stem
- Habitat : Large piece of waters
- Status : Rare in South-east Queensland
- We found them at : Lagoon in Karawatha Forest
Trapezostigma loewii, Common Glider,
male- Male and female : Female about the same except in dull brown colour
- Body length : 50mm
- Habits : Males glide within a favorite area protecting territory, rest on high twig late afternoon
- Habitat : Large running and still waters
- Status : Common
- We found them at : Botanic Garden, Karawatha Forest, Bulimba Creek
- For Quick Field Guide of Damselflies in Brisbane please click here.
Dragonflies with brownish yellow or brown colour
Dragonflies with dark brown patterns on blue colour
Dragonflies with blue colour
Dragonflies with red colour
- Reference:
- 1. A Field Guide to Dragonflies of South East Queensland - Ric Nattrass, 2006.
- 2. The Complete Field Guide to Dragonflies of Australia - CSIRO, Günther Theischinger and John Hawking, 2006.
