Butterfly Flutterer

Butterfly Flutterer

Rhyothemis fuliginosa

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
at Tokyo

In 3 days ~10% in a week ~30%

57 Verified sightings at Tokyo
July Best month

About the Butterfly Flutterer

Rhyothemis fuliginosa, also known as the butterfly dragonfly or the butterfly flutterer, is a species of dragonfly of the family Libellulidae found throughout East Asia, in the countries of Japan, China, Taiwan, and the Korean Peninsula.

In Japan, R. fuliginosa is known as チョウトンボ (chou-tonbo, 蝶蜻蛉) which directly translates to "butterfly dragonfly." In China and Taiwan, it is known as 黑翅蜻蜓 (Hēi chì qīngtíng), meaning "black-winged dragonfly." In Korea it is also known as 나비잠자리 (Nabi jamjari) meaning "butterfly dragonfly".

Flights occur between the months of June and September. They are most active from early summer to the mid-autumn season. Rhyothemis fuliginosa is a short and stout dragonfly with a body length of 32-41 millimeters in length. The wings are 30–40 mm across and patterned with a deep blue iridescent shade. Depending on the viewing angle, the dragonfly's wings can vary in color due to their light scattering properties, with some appearing golden in the light. The wing patterns are thought to be a determinant between members of the same species to avoid mating with the incorrect partner.

Males have spots on the tips of their hindwings, a feature that allows... Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability

More parks will be added in future updates.

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Hiroshima 🇯🇵 Japan
~20%
2 Daegu 🇰🇷 South Korea
~20%
3 Suzhou 🇨🇳 China
~20%
4 Changsha 🇨🇳 China
~10%
5 Beijing 🇨🇳 China
~10%
6 Wuhan 🇨🇳 China
~10%
7 Seoul 🇰🇷 South Korea
~10%
8 Nanjing 🇨🇳 China
~10%
9 Osaka 🇯🇵 Japan
~10%
10 Hangzhou 🇨🇳 China
~10%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Butterfly Flutterer in Tokyo?

Rare

Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Butterfly Flutterer sighting in Tokyo on a given day, based on 57 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 243rd most-seen of the 1013 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 30%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a Butterfly Flutterer in Tokyo?

June to August

In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Butterfly Flutterer in Tokyo on a given day, against under 5% in September to May, the lowest months.

Is Tokyo the best place to see a Butterfly Flutterer?

12th of 12

Of the 12 cities where we can rate Butterfly Flutterer sightings, Tokyo ranks 12th at under 5%. The best odds are in Hiroshima (Japan, about 20%), Daegu (South Korea, about 20%) and Suzhou (China, about 20%).

Which relatives of the Butterfly Flutterer live in Tokyo?

Same family: Libellulidae

The closest relatives of the Butterfly Flutterer that you can see in Tokyo (family Libellulidae, Skimmers) are White-Tailed Skimmer (about 30%), Greater Blue Skimmer (about 10%) and Autumn Darter (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.

Where does the Butterfly Flutterer sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Butterfly Flutterer is recorded against all the insects logged in Tokyo (57 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.

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