Red Dragonflies in the Red List? "Akiakane" Rapidly Decreased in Japan

Autumn come, Japan is home to red dragonflies flying in flocks over the rice-paddies. That has been a familiar scene at this time of year. It has been so, until certain data were bared to suggest red dragonflies are in the red list in Japan. The Ministry of Environment is looking into the fate of red dragonflies, reported the Mainichi Shimbun, August 19.

The Nature Conservation society of Japan (NACS) reports six prefectures have so far listed red dragonflies in the list: Osaka, Hyogo, Mie, Toyama, Nagasaki and Kagoshima. Some data imply agricultural chemicals to be one likely cause of the phenomenon. Red dragonflies have decreased in population since late 1990's. Hon. Professor Tetsuyuki Ueda of the University of Ishikawa testifies that in Ishikawa red dragonflies' hatch-out percentage in the rice-paddy was 80% in 1989 but fatally dropped to 19% in 2009. Experiments show, says Prof. Ueda, the use of pesticides of neonicotinoid family drops hatch-out rate by 70%.

The Ministry of Environment initiated a survey on eight brands of pesticides of that family and found some effects on dragonflies but not in a confirmable level. The ministry continues surveys on the co-relationship of the red dragonfly population and the use of pesticides and agrochemical residues.

Prof. Ueda comments that farmers are often unaware of the effects of pesticides on natural environment and that there ought be a systematic way of enlightening them to build awareness on their part.

Red dragonflies are smaller in size than ordinary dragonflies and often associated with artistic life of the Japanese as "Akiakane". The dragonflies are generally seen as symbols of courage and strength in Japan. Britain's poet laureate Lord Alfred Tennyson, whose poems are widely admired in Japan, lauded their bright colors and agile flight.