Slender Blue Skimmer Orthetrum luzonicum

This adaptable dragonfly goes by so many names—tricolored marsh hawk, slender blue skimmer, marsh skimmer—it seems to have a different identity in every Asian country where it lives. Each name reflects a different angle on its character: tricolor speaks to varied coloration, 'slender' describes its elegant build. Despite being widespread across Asia, this species remains understudied compared to other dragonflies, making each sighting a small discovery. The skimmer habit means it spends much of its time low over the water's surface, hunting insects on the wing with incredible agility.