Dragonfly species spotted for the first time in Hong Kong

The environmental organization Green Power announced on Sunday that they had observed Lathrecista asiatica, also known as the Asiatic blood tail, for the first time in Hong Kong.

This rare sighting occurred near the Tung Chung River during one of their routine dragonfly ecological surveys.

The discovery was made in a wetland area close to the mouth of the Tung Chung River. As this location falls on the edge of a residential area within the Tung Chung Valley Outline Zoning Plan, Green Power expressed concerns about potential impacts on the dragonfly habitat due to ongoing development projects.

The group has urged the government to enhance efforts to protect the natural ecology and to avoid rezoning land that involves wetlands.

Green Power highlighted the ecological significance of the Tung Chung River, noting it as one of the few large natural rivers remaining in Hong Kong. The river is not only valuable for conservation but also hosts a variety of dragonfly species.

The group is advocating for the Tung Chung New Town Extension project to minimize its negative impacts on the river basin habitats, thereby preserving this vital ecological area.

Lathrecista asiatica belongs to the Libellulidae family and is the sole species in its genus.

It is typically found in tropical Asia and northern Australia and has been previously recorded in Yunnan, Hainan, and Taiwan.

This species generally inhabits lowlands below 500 meters above sea level and is commonly found in ponds, streams, and swamps.