Insect or Invertebrates Identification - DONE

[Toko]

I am in awe, wynand For how long have you been into studying insects

I am still in kindergarten so very happy that I was close

[BluTuna]

WOW Wynand, where have you been hiding

At last, someone to assist Toko with the insect IDs. I have tried but Toko does the ID and I usually agree with her.

Another area we have been struggling with is Damselflies - we think our ID of the Common Bluetail is incorrect. https://africawild-forum.com/viewtopic.p ... 10#p143167 Please help!

[wynand]

Damselflies are difficult to ID without a detailed image of the wing venation. A good view of the pterostigma (dark pigmented spot on the leading edge and towards the tip of the wing) is also helpful. In the case of the Common Bluetail, the forewing pterostigma is bi-coloured.

I don't think the two pics at https://africawild-forum.com/viewtopic.p ... 10#p143167 are ofthe same species, but they certainly look alike. The bottom pic by Flutterby is recognizable as a Common Threadtail Elattoneura glauca, See the pics at:
http://www.warwicktarboton.co.za/dfpgs/018glauca.html

The top one that you submitted looks to me like a Swamp Bluet, Africallagma glaucum, but I'm uncertain. See: http://www.warwicktarboton.co.za/dfpgs/054aglaucum.html.

[BluTuna]

Thanks Wynand!

When I get home I will see if I took any more pictures of that Damselfly from other angles.

[Toko]

Great, wynand

Have fixed Flutty's Threadtail
https://africawild-forum.com/viewtopic.p ... 06#p168906

[Toko]

© BluTuna

Does this fit?

Face: light blue and black. Labrum light blue with fine black base. Anteclypeus dirty light blue. Postclypeus black. Frons and genae light blue. Head above with black transverse band. A blue line runs across occiput but usually does not quite reach eyes. Sometimes this line is broken, forming postocular spots.
Eyes: light blue with black cap. Cap coincides with black head band.
Prothorax: black, with fine, broken light blue margins.
Synthorax: black and light blue stripes. Sometimes the blue is very light and brownish, and even occasionally completely brown.
Wings: clear.
Pterostigmas: dark grey, almost black, with fine pale margins.
Abdomen: light blue with a black dorsal line of varying widths, that ends in a taper at end of S7 (a little before in some WCP individuals). S8-9 above all blue. S10 blue with fine black stripe above. Superior appendages blackish with whitish extremity. Spine on inferior appendages mostly blue.
Female: with similar markings as male but light brown instead of blue.

Similar species:
This small, sky blue Africallagma can vary from pale to bright sky, but not sapphire like Af. sapphirinum. Af. glaucum without a black marking on S8, unlike Azuragrion nigridorsum, but like Proischnura rotundipennis with which it can co-occur. P. rotundipennis has S7 with black ending squarely at end of segment, not tapering like Af. glaucum. Also, in life, P. rotundipennis has blue on its pterostigmas, unlike Af. glaucum. S9 is all blue in Af. glaucum but blue and black in Az. nigridorsum. S10 is much blacker in Af. sapphirinum than in Af. glaucum. Af. elongatum, although with similar colour and patterning to Af. glaucum, is distinctly more slender and has long black inferior appendages.

[Mel]

Deep respect for anyone who is able to ID creepy crawlies!!!
I haven't even reached pre-school.

[BluTuna]

Here's a different view of the mystery Damselfly.



What are the red objects at the base of the tail?

[nan]

police's fire

[Toko]

Marakele, Bontle campsite's bathroom, November.

I found this one

Pigmy Emperor Moth Rohaniella pygmaea, family Saturniidae