Green group records first sighting of rare dragonfly in Hong Kong during wetlands survey
Green Power discovers Asiatic blood tail, also known as Lathrecista asiatica, while conducting survey near Lantau Island’s Tung Chung River
A rare dragonfly species, known as the Asiatic blood tail, has been spotted in Hong Kong for the first time since records began after one of the insects was discovered by an environmental group conducting a survey of wetlands on Lantau Island.
Green Power revealed the first sighting of Lathrecista asiatica in Hong Kong on Sunday and called for greater efforts to conserve its natural habitats, especially against land rezoning that could threaten the wetlands.
The insect was discovered near the Tung Chung River during one of the group’s routine dragonfly ecological surveys in August. The waterway is one of Hong Kong’s last remaining large-scale natural rivers.
Photos taken by the group show the dragonfly has a milky white face, brown markings on its forehead, a brown chest and a bright red abdomen with a black tip.
The group noted the dragonfly had a greyish-white powdery covering on its chest, indicating it was a mature male.
The dragonfly belongs to the Libellulidae family and is the only species of the genus, which is typically found in tropical Asia and northern Australia. It has also been recorded in Taiwan and mainland China’s Yunnan and Hainan provinces.
Henry Lui Tak-hang, a senior conservation manager with Green Power, said the insect was typically found in lowland areas less than 500 metres (1,640 feet) above sea level, and inhabited areas such as swamps associated with ponds and streams.
