Granite ghost
This dragonfly's mottled grey pattern matches bare rock and concrete so closely that it becomes almost invisible when it lands flat on a wall or slab.
| Where | Rocky ground, walls and water tanks |
|---|---|
| Size | 33 to 36 mm hindwing length |
| When | January to December |
The Granite ghost is a medium sized dragonfly with a dull grey, marbled body peppered with black, and a pterostigma that is dark in the centre and pale at each end. Its subdued colouring blends closely with bare rock and plaster.
It breeds in still water held in rock hollows, wells, tanks and other man made containers as readily as in natural pools. Adults rest flat against stone or concrete surfaces close to these breeding sites.
Traits
Habitat
Towns
Colour
Grey, Black, Yellow
Active
Day
To people
Harmless to people; it favours bare rock, walls and concrete tanks where its grey pattern hides it well.
Activity through the year
Often confused with
The Konkan rockdweller has a dark blue, pruinosed body and a brownish tinge at the base of the wings, unlike the Granite ghost's yellow marbled abdomen and clear wing bases.
Questions
Is the Granite ghost dangerous to people?
Harmless to people; it favours bare rock, walls and concrete tanks where its grey pattern hides it well.
When can you see the Granite ghost?
The Granite ghost can be seen from January to December, by day.
Plate retouched from a photo by Renjith Jacob Mathews, CC BY 4.0, iNaturalist Licence
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Dragonflies and damselflies›Skimmers›Bradinopyga
Last updated 2026-09-27. Every entry is checked against published sources.