New Page 2

Ischnura senegalensis emerging from Nymph
Developed in water but not hatch in the water, a damselflies nymph crawl out of the water — climbing up weed stalks, bushes, or even a floating PVC — before emerging from the nymphal shell.

During transformation to adulthood, the veins fill with hemolymph, (insect blood), causing the wings to unfurl. Most of the hemolymph is drawn back into the body after the wings have been fully expanded. The empty tubes and the membranes dry, leaving crisp, tough wings.

Picture 1 : Alongside a pond -- emerging of a damselfly from its excuvia.

The nymphs was clinging to surface of a floating plastic beg. The baby damselfly has already wholly emerged from the excuvia and the wing reached its full length. Except the abdomen which was still in the process of extending.

Picture 2 : The abdomen gradually extending, a drop (or two) of clear liquid discharged from the tip.

From the shape of this last segment we know it is a Male.

Picture 3 : Because the emerging (on a floating PVC beg) was 1/3 meter below my feet, an inconvenient angle for camera to reach, I decided to use my left hand to lift up the PVC beg for batter angle of the camera.

This disturbed the poor insect's growing which needs a quiet and calm environment for emerging process. Within seconds it started walking toward and up to my thumb.

Picture 4 : My very precious moment of close encounter with natural life.

On the back of my thumb, this new Ischnura senegalensis spend 4 minutes for his final stage of extension and hardening of the body and wings.
At 4:31 pm he flop his tender wings and helicopter straight skyward and disappeared into dark shade in tree top. “Good Bye !...... welcome to the world !”

Here are index to damselflies sorted according to colour for our quick identification:

Out of the global 10 families of damselflies, the following 7 families are found in Borneo Island :

Damselfly head include :
1- compound eyes,
2- ocelli,
3- antennae,
4- mouth structures

Dragonflies of Borneo
"With 275 named species so far recorded in Borneo, the island has one of the richest and most exciting dragonfly faunas in the world. More than 40% of species occur nowhere else, making it the most distinctive sub-region of Sundaland." A Guide to the Dragonflies of Borneo by Albert G. Orr

GO FURTHER

Dragonflies of Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore

Dragonflies are among the most beautiful of insects. Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore are home to more than 230 species (twice the number found in Europe). They include some of the most exquisite forms found anywhere in the World.

FLORA

Fig trees of Sabah

Borneo has 150 species of wild fig trees. Most of them are found in forests of Sabah.

FISHERIES

Tiger Prawn Farms in Tawau

Prawn farming is a main commercial activities in Tawau. Spawners from Tawau are graded the best in Malaysia. For decades, Tawau has been exporting high-grade tiger prawns to several countries such as Korea, Japan, Taiwan, China, Vietnam, Singapore, Egypt and Australia.

A Guide to Common Spiders in BORNEO ISLAND