Bug FAQSouthern Banded Groundling
Brachythemis leucosticta · Order: Odonata · Family: Libellulidae
Also called: Banded Groundling
The Southern Banded Groundling is a small dragonfly about 33 mm long with a wingspan up to 57 mm. Males are all black with a dark wing tip band and bicolored (yellow) pterostigmata, while females show yellow-black markings and brown-banded eyes. They are found around small pools in open or savannah areas, and both sexes may wander away from water; adults are active most of the year in tropical zones and from September to May in South Africa.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Females display a yellow and black thorax and abdomen, with the coloration fading in older individuals, and have brown-banded eyes.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
They live around small pools in open or savannah habitats, with or without aquatic vegetation. Females and young males can be seen some distance away from water.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
They often follow larger animals, including humans, catching insects that are flushed out as the larger animals move through grass. They are sociable and form mixed-sex groups.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
In South Africa adults are most active from September to May; in tropical regions they are active year-round.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adult activity follows the same pattern: September-May in South Africa and year-round in tropical areas.
Source: Wikipedia
Questions people ask
How can I identify a male Southern Banded Groundling?
Look for an all-black body, a dark band near each wing tip, and yellow-bicolored pterostigmata.
Source: Wikipedia
What do female Southern Banded Groundlings look like?
Females have a yellow-black thorax and abdomen that fade with age, and brown-banded eyes.
Source: Wikipedia
When are these dragonflies active?
In South Africa they are most active from September to May; in tropical areas they are active throughout the year.
Source: Wikipedia
Where are Southern Banded Groundlings usually found?
Around small pools in open or savannah areas, and females and young males may be seen away from water.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Libellulidae)
Sources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brachythemis_leucosticta
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-22 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-22.