Caliphaea confusa and Caliphaea thailandica

In spring of this year I saw both Caliphaea confusa and C. thailandica in Yen Bai. Now during my road trip around the northern provinces I saw both species again. They were still very similar to each other, but completely different from the spring specimens I saw. Now both species had turned into really spectacular copper-red insects that would in the darker recesses of forest streams (thailandica) or more in the open (confusa) act out their territorial disputes. These males with their red bodies and whitish abdominal tips are beautiful to behold indeed. I saw many C. thailandica in Pia Oac Nature Reserve, where they were common along small streams under forest cover. C. confusa on the other hand I saw in Sa Pa at forest edge where they were active in the bright sun. Clearly both species have a long flight period, from early May to July at least.

Female Caliphaea confusa, by association with males

Caliphaea thailandica male in Pia Oac 

Caliphaea confusa male in Sa Pa