Dragonflies and Damselflies
Last Updated on 23 April 2025
The Odonata order—home to dragonflies and damselflies—are ancient creatures that have been around since the dinosaurs hundreds of millions of years ago.
These zippy little aviators are easy to overlook while you’re stomping down the trails, but pause for a moment, and you’ll spot them showing off their flashy, high-speed acrobatics like tiny aerial stunt pilots.
Our dream? To track down all 130 species of dragonflies and damselflies that call our petite island home. Here are a few of these dazzling winged wonders we’ve had the pleasure of stalking—uh, respectfully observing—so far.
Blue Dasher (Brachydiplax chalybea)
Sighted: Botanic Gardens, Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve
Common Scarlet – female (Crocothemis servilia)
Sighted: Bidadari Park, Botanic Gardens, Lakeside Garden
Common Scarlet – male (Crocothemis servilia)
Sighted: Bidadari Park, Lakeside Garden
Common Chaser (Potamarcha congener)
Sighted: Bidadari Park
Common Parasol (Neurothemis fluctuans)
Sighted: Botanic Gardens, Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve
Sultan (Camacinia gigantea)
Sighted: Pulau Ubin
Common Amberwing (Brachythemis contaminata)
Sighted: Bishan Park
Common Flangetail (Ictinogomphus decoratus)
Sighted: Bishan Park, Gardens By The Bay, Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve
Variegated Green Skimmer (Orthetrum sabina)
Sighted: Gardens By The Bay, Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve
Coastal Glider (Macrodiplax cora)
Sighted: Jelutong Tower
Crimson Dropwing – male (Trithemis aurora)
Sighted: Bishan Park, Windsor Nature Park
Crimson Dropwing – female (Trithemis aurora)
Sighted: Windsor Nature Park
Blue Percher (Diplacodes trivialis)
Sighted: Bishan Park
Indigo Dropwing (Trithemis festiva)
Sighted: Jurong Eco-Garden
Dancing Dropwing (Trithemis pallidinervis)
Sighted: Upper Peirce Reservoir Park
Scarlet Basker (Urothemis signata)
Sighted: Botanic Gardens, Dairy Farm Nature Park
Scarlet Grenadier (Lathrecista asiatica)
Sighted: Windsor Nature Park
Common Blue Skimmer (Orthetrum glaucum)
Sighted: Windsor Nature Park
Yellow-barred Flutterer (Rhyothemis phyllis)
Sighted: Botanic Gardens, Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve
Bronze Flutterer (Rhyothemis obsolescens)
Sighted: Jelutong Tower
Spine-tufted Skimmer (Orthetrum chrysis)
Sighted: Jurong Eco-Garden, Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, Rifle Range Link, Windsor Nature Park
Common Redbolt (Rhodothemis rufa)
Sighted: MacRitchie Reservoir Park
Common Flashwing (Vestalis amethystina)
Sighted: Dairy Farm Nature Park, MacRitchie Reservoir Park
Ornate Coraltail (Ceriagrion cerinorubellum)
Sighted: Botanic Gardens
Common Bluetail (Ischnura senegalensis)
Sighted: Bishan Park
Violet Sprite (Archibasis viola)
Sighted: Rifle Range Link
Blue Sprite (Pseudagrion Microcephalum)
Sighted: MacRitchie Reservoir Park
Crescent Threadtail (Prodasineura notostigma)
Sighted: Windsor Nature Park
