Since I last saw a goodly congregation of these dragonflies outside the visitor centre of Bukit Timah Nature Reserve some two years ago I have been hoping to catch more than a record shot of these attractive flyers. Many common dragonflies are encountered in sunny spots close to water, where they seem to revel in the midday rays and shimmer with hotrod radiance as they play tag for favoured perches or dash out to take lesser fliers on the wing. Tyriobapta torrida, though, is a more retiring creature that occurs mainly under the forest canopy. Scattered individuals, and at times, larger assemblies, can usually be found resting on the trunks of large trees. The females in light brown with dark bands are harder to spot than the dull blue males in their iridescent hindwing base that shines with metallic blue and spectrums of black. Rather less flighty than some of their cousins in exposed habitats, these shady settlers are partial to particular spots to which they return even when disturbed. But they usually stir not unless it be for food or foe, and so lie unmolested by most walkers who wander without fear through a den of dragonflies.
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