Tetrathemis polleni
In 3 days ~80% in a week >90%
Tetrathemis polleni, the black-splashed elf, is a species of dragonfly in the family Libellulidae. It is found in sub-Saharan Africa from South Africa to Somalia, Ethiopia and Gambia. This dragonfly is found at shaded pools, such as those found in gallery forest.
Media related to Tetrathemis polleni at Wikimedia Commons Data related to Tetrathemis polleni at Wikispecies Tetrathemis polleni on African Dragonflies and Damselflies Online Black-splashed elf Species text in the Online Atlas of South African Odonata Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ankarafantsika National Park | 🇲🇬 Madagascar | |
| 2 | iSimangaliso Wetland Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 3 | Garden Route National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 4 | Kruger National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Durban | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
Likely
About 40% of wildlife watchers report a Black-Splashed Elf sighting in Ankarafantsika National Park on a given day, based on 8 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 8th most-seen of the 31 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 80%, and over a week to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
September
In that month about 70% of wildlife watchers report a Black-Splashed Elf in Ankarafantsika National Park on a given day, against under 5% in October, the lowest month. That is one of Ankarafantsika National Park's driest months, with almost no rain against 560 mm in January. February and March have too few records to rate.
Between 11 am and 2 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Black-Splashed Elf sightings with a recorded time, and nearly all of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Yes
Of the 4 parks where we can rate Black-Splashed Elf sightings, Ankarafantsika National Park has the highest daily chance: about 40%. Next come iSimangaliso Wetland Park (South Africa, about 10%) and Garden Route National Park (South Africa, about 10%).
Same family: Libellulidae
The closest relatives of the Black-Splashed Elf that you can see in Ankarafantsika National Park (family Libellulidae, Skimmers) are Southern Banded Groundling (about 50%), Twister (about 50%) and Bold Skimmer (about 40%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Black-Splashed Elf is recorded against all the insects logged in Ankarafantsika National Park (8 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
