Friends in My Garden- 51

Dragonflies

Common picture wing – Rhyothemis variegata

This is my third post of Dragonflies. I have two types of dragonflies here,  from my garden!
Friends? Oh yes…they are predators of other flies that are pests.

The common picture wing (Rhyothemis variegata) or variegated flutterer, is a species of dragonfly with colorful wings tinted with pale yellow. There are a few black spots and patches, which are more pronounced in females than in males. These are called as “Onathumpi”, in my native language.

Orange-winged dropwing, alias Scarlet rock glider (Trithemis kirbyi) is a scarlet dragonfly with a broad reddish amber patch on the base of transparent wings. The females differ being duller.

Most probably these dragonflies are visitors to my garden, knowing their natural habitats which are wetlands.

Onathumpi – Common Picture wing

Scarlet Rock Glider – Trithemis kirbyi

Scarlet Rock Glider – Another angle

Friends in My Garden- 50

Bagworm

What’s that…feathers sticking to a flower?!!
Do not get fooled, that is a bug from my garden…the bagworm.

Bagworms are a type of small moths belonging to Psychidae. Larvae form characteristic silken cases covered with bits of leaves, twigs, and other debris.
Here she is more concerned about the beauty of her case, hence decoration with soft feathers! 🙂

These moths pupate in the larval case after it is attached to a substratum. In most species, the female does not leave the case, as it lacks wings and has only rudimentary parts. The male bagworm emerges as a freely flying moth.

The adult’s life span is too short. Males live for only 2-3 days. Females lay eggs in the larval case itself and die. Once the eggs hatch, larvae crawl out to form their own cases.

I am not sure about the identity of this bagworm.

The bug comes out of the case

Crawling over

It took 3-4 hrs for the bug to crawl around the flower!