Rhyothemis graphiptera
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~40%
Rhyothemis graphiptera, known as the graphic flutterer or banded flutterer, is a species of dragonfly of the family Libellulidae. It is found across northern Australia, the Moluccas, New Guinea and New Caledonia. Rhyothemis extends from Africa to the western Pacific.
The flight of the genus Rhyothemis is usually fluttering. Rhyothemis graphiptera, a medium-sized dragonfly (wingspan 70mm, length 35mm), inhabits lagoons, lakes, ponds and swamps. The abdomen is dark and the wings are brownish-yellow with dark mottled markings.
The taxon has been assessed for the IUCN Red List as being of least concern, and is noted in the Catalog of Life. The genus name Rhyothemis is derived from the Greek ῥέω (rheō, "to flow") and -themis, from Greek Θέμις (Themis), the goddess of divine law, order and justice. In early odonate taxonomy, names ending in -themis were widely used for dragonflies. The name may refer to the irregularly banded and coloured wings of species in the genus, resembling flow banding in rhyolite.
The species name graphiptera is derived from the Greek γραφή (graphē, "drawing" or "painting") and –πτερος (pteros, "winged"), referring to the coloured wing markings.... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kakadu National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 2 | Litchfield National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 3 | Lamington National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 4 | Royal National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 5 | Springbrook National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 6 | Blue Mountains National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Graphic Flutterer sighting in Sydney on a given day, based on 113 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 100th most-seen of the 742 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.
January
In that month about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Graphic Flutterer in Sydney on a given day, against under 5% in March to October, the lowest months.
Between noon and 3 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Graphic Flutterer 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 Graphic Flutterer sightings, Sydney ranks 2nd at about 10%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Brisbane (Australia, about 10%).
Same family: Libellulidae
The closest relatives of the Graphic Flutterer that you can see in Sydney (family Libellulidae, Skimmers) are Fiery Skimmer (about 20%), Scarlet Percher (about 10%) and Wandering Percher (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Graphic Flutterer is recorded against all the insects logged in Sydney (113 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.
