Pied Paddy Skimmer Neurothemis tullia

The pied (two-colored) patterns help these dragonflies blend seamlessly into Asian rice paddies where they hunt. These tireless mosquito exterminators patrol wetlands from Bangladesh to Vietnam, hovering and darting with mechanical precision.

The aquatic nymphs are equally fearsome, spending months as ambush predators lurking in marsh vegetation, striking anything smaller that moves. Their emergence signals the start of the adult hunting season in paddies across the region.