Plain Flashwing

Plain Flashwing

Vestalis gracilis

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely
at Khao Yai National Park

In 3 days ~80% in a week >90%

98 Verified sightings at Khao Yai National Park From 2019 to 2026
150 In all 6 parks
September Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

About the Plain Flashwing

Vestalis gracilis, is a species of damselfly belonging to the family Calopterygidae. It is known commonly as the clear-winged forest glory or clear-winged flash-wing. It is native to Southeast Asia and surrounding regions.

The male and female are similar in size; the male having an abdomen 45 to 46 millimeters long and a hindwing 34 to 38 millimeters long and the female with an abdomen 43 to 50 millimeters long and a hindwing 36 to 39 millimeters long.

The male is iridescent green with a yellow and black underside. It has brown legs and blue-tinged transparent wings. The eyes are dark brown above and greenish yellow below. The female is duller greenish brown in color. This is a common species across much of its range. It breeds in forest streams, often in disturbed and cultivated areas too. Commonly seen as a group rest among bushes in forest paths and shades together with Vestalis apicalis.

It is now synonymised with V. a. submontana and is considered as a separate species Vestalis submontana. List of odonates of India List... Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Khao Yai National Park 🇹🇭 Thailand
~40%
2 Periyar National Park 🇮🇳 India
~30%
3 Cat Tien National Park 🇻🇳 Vietnam
~20%
4 Khao Sok National Park 🇹🇭 Thailand
~10%
5 Doi Inthanon National Park 🇹🇭 Thailand
~10%
6 Kaeng Krachan National Park 🇹🇭 Thailand
~10%

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Kozhikode 🇮🇳 India
~10%
2 Mumbai 🇮🇳 India
<5%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Plain Flashwing in Khao Yai National Park?

Likely

About 40% of wildlife watchers report a Plain Flashwing sighting in Khao Yai National Park on a given day, based on 98 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the most-seen of the 221 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.

When is the best time to see a Plain Flashwing in Khao Yai National Park?

May and July–March

In those months about 40% of wildlife watchers report a Plain Flashwing in Khao Yai National Park on a given day, against about 20% in June, the lowest month.

What time of day is best to see a Plain Flashwing?

Between 1 and 4 pm

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Plain Flashwing sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Is Khao Yai National Park the best place to see a Plain Flashwing?

Yes

Of the 6 parks where we can rate Plain Flashwing sightings, Khao Yai National Park has the highest daily chance: about 40%. Next come Periyar National Park (India, about 30%) and Cat Tien National Park (Vietnam, about 20%).

Where does the Plain Flashwing sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Plain Flashwing is recorded against all the insects logged in Khao Yai National Park (98 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.

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