Sympetrum infuscatum
This dragonfly's wingtips darken from clear to smoky brown as it ages, so young and old adults of the same species can look strikingly different.
| Where | Ponds and paddies across East Asia |
|---|---|
| Size | 37 to 52 mm body length |
| When | June to November |
This dragonfly is recognised by the brown band shading each wingtip, a mark that darkens further as the insect ages, combined with a dull brick red to brown body typical of mature adults.
It breeds in ponds and rice paddies thick with aquatic plants across hilly and lowland country, and is among the largest of the red bodied dragonflies in its family, with adults on the wing from early summer into late autumn.
Traits
Habitat
Wetland
Colour
Brown, Red
Active
Day
To people
Does not bite or sting; harmless to people and often perches on hands.
Activity through the year
Often confused with
Has a wingtip patch that is darker and blacker rather than brown, and a black thorax stripe that bends and merges with the next stripe instead of running straight to the wing base.
Questions
Is Sympetrum infuscatum dangerous to people?
Does not bite or sting; harmless to people and often perches on hands.
When can you see Sympetrum infuscatum?
Sympetrum infuscatum can be seen from June to November, by day.
Plate retouched from a photo by bobkennedy, CC BY‑SA 4.0, iNaturalist Licence
The plate on this page is shared under the same licence as its source, CC BY-SA.
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Dragonflies and damselflies›Skimmers›Sympetrum
Last updated 2026-09-27. Every entry is checked against published sources.