Neurothemis is a genus in the family Libellulidae. The wings and bodies of males that are often found are red. But the one in these pictures that I took is a female Neurothemis fluctuans. That, as it is said, is a dragonfly that is not shy and approachable. So, why thank the mosquitoes? That's my story when I took the pictures. I thought, even if it was approachable, it wouldn't last long for me to take the pictures. The reason why I was able to take lots of pictures for this one, was due to the mosquitoes flying around me that were preying on me. So, I can easily photograph this dragonfly known as Red Grasshawk, not because it is attracted to me but because it is attracted to the mosquitoes around me. It repeatedly flies nimbly and catches mosquitoes in the air then returns to its perch. It has sharp vision and is able to see 360 degrees. 80% of the brain is used for vision. It has very controlled flight, so strong and agile. When I shifted, and I was still surrounded by mosquitoes, it shifted slightly in position which made it possible to make a good catch. Dragonflies are one of the most efficient hunters.
Another case with this one.
I can't shoot as much as the Red Grasshawk before. There are no mosquitoes flying around me. So, I didn't bring anything of interest to this one. Every time I get closer, it flies off, pretending to be away for a moment, but then returns to its position, in a dry little twig, and returns to monitoring. This time, I had to use a trick which was actually only more useful against the dragonflies than against the other insects which when approached would normally fly away, or quickly hide behind leaves and jump like grasshoppers and so on, or else there also who immediately fell to the ground and ran away (so, I really admire those who are able to take pictures of insects using a cellphone camera plus a macro lens because I think they have to get very close to the insects. This is amazing!) . Like other insects, dragonflies are very sensitive to threats. So, I suppose, I should be able to show it that me and my camera are not a threat to it. So I took this one picture first from a little distance away.
Then a little closer.
Closer.
Closer.
Until it's only a few centimers away like this.
I had to use that trick because it was a handsome male Lathrecista asiatica. It is also called the asiatic blood tail, a dragonfly in the Family Libellulidae, which spreads from India to Australia. While this one is in Aceh, Sumatra.
And this is the only picture I took from the front before it immediately sped off. It seems, I have disturbed the airspace that is being monitored by this asiatic blood tail.