The smallest dragonfly in Japan, the same size as a 100-yen coin

 I went to the small wetland again that I mentioned in my last blog post. The purpose for my visit was to see the smallest dragonflies in Japan. This dragonfly named  Hatchō-tombo in Japanese, Nannophya pygmaea, is known as the smallest dragonfly in Japan and is among the smallest in the world.

According to Wikipedia, adults are extremely small, measuring 17-21 mm in length. Males are orange-brown immediately after emergence and become a vivid red about 20 days after emergence. Females are brownish-red with yellow or black horizontal stripes on their abdomen. Most of the wings are transparent, but the area near the base is a beautiful orange-yellow. 

The comparison of this dragonfly (male) and a 100-yen coin (22.6mm).

This is the wetland where this dragonfly lives.

A red male dragonfly really stands out, but female one is inconspicuous. 

A dragonfly that has just emerged from its nymph stage. It is probably a female. What you see above is the molt of a nymph.