Austrolestes annulosus
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~40%
The blue ringtail (Austrolestes annulosus) is an Australian damselfly. It is found on most of the continent. The blue ringtail was first described by Edmond de Sélys Longchamps in 1862. The abdomen is 3 cm long. It can easily be confused with Austrocoenagrion lyelli or Caliagrion billinghursti, but can be differentiated through dorsal patterns. They are a thin, medium-sized damselfly with varying coloration, which depends on maturity and temperature. However most are a striking blue with minimal black markings. Females are slightly more robust than males, and have a black and white/pale blue coloration.
It is widely distributed in most of Australia, except for the northern and north-eastern parts. It is active through September to April in still water bodies such as riverine pools, lakes and ponds, including temporary pools.
The genus name Austrolestes combines the prefix austro- (from Latin auster, meaning “south wind”, hence “southern”) with Lestes, a genus name derived from Greek λῃστής (lēstēs, “robber”). The species name annulosus is derived from the Latin annulus ("ring") and the suffix -osus ("abounding... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hattah-Kulkyne National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 2 | Great Otway National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 3 | Grampians National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Blue Ringtail sighting in Melbourne on a given day, based on 119 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 125th most-seen of the 875 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 40%, if each day is a fresh chance.
September to March
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Blue Ringtail in Melbourne on a given day, against under 5% in April to August, the lowest months.
Between 1 and 4 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Blue Ringtail sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Among the best
Of the 2 cities where we can rate Blue Ringtail sightings, Melbourne ranks 2nd at about 10%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Perth (Australia, about 10%).
Same genus: Austrolestes
The closest relatives of the Blue Ringtail that you can see in Melbourne (genus Austrolestes, Ringtails) are Wandering Ringtail (about 10%) and Slender Ringtail (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Blue Ringtail is recorded against all the insects logged in Melbourne (119 verified sightings), 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.
