NC Odonate Website

Related Species in GOMPHIDAE:		Number of records for 2024 = 9
Added in 2024-00-00 from a previous year = 1 (2023-06-01)

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Blackwater Clubtail (Gomphurus dilatatus) by Mark Shields

Compare with: Cobra Clubtail Splendid Clubtail Midland Clubtail Septima's Clubtail Cocoa Clubtail
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Note: these identification tips apply specifically to mature males; features may differ in immature males and in females.

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Map

Click on county for list of all its records for Blackwater Clubtail

Flight Charts

Distribution

Scattered over most of the state, though lacking records in the northeastern and far eastern counties, as well as the northern mountains. Apparently absent over most of the mountains, at least over roughly 2,500 feet elevation. New records in 2021 from Catawba and Transylvania counties filled in gaps in the western Piedmont and southern mountains, and two more new county records from the Piedmont were made in 2022. Perhaps occurs in most Piedmont counties, but barely 13-14 counties there are known at present. Seemingly most widespread in the southern Coastal Plain.

Abundance

Locally uncommon in the southern portions of the Coastal Plain, but rare northward in that province to the Roanoke River area (with few recent records in this region). Very rare to locally rare over most of the Piedmont, with a remarkable flurry of records from the western and central Piedmont in 2018. Very rare in the southern half of the mountains, where first recorded in 2017. With more canoeing and kayaking efforts, observers have been finding the species in some numbers now, including daily counts of 30 in 2016 and 17 in 2019, indicating that it can be reasonably common in a few places in the southeastern counties.

Flight

Mid-April to at least mid-July in the Coastal Plain, and from early June into mid-July in the Piedmont and mountains. There is a sight report from the Piedmont for mid-August, though the latest specimen or photo record is only to mid-July.

Habitat

Slow-moving rivers or streams with sandy or silty bottoms. Though the common name suggests it is not normally found along brownwater rivers, such is not the case in NC. Of course, all Piedmont and mountain records are from brownwater areas, and a few in the Coastal Plain are as well, such as along the Cape Fear River. A recent record from Lake Waccamaw (at the spillway/dam) presumably relates to an individual using the headwaters of the Waccamaw River as breeding habitat.

See also Habitat Account for General Rivers and Large Streams

Behavior

Males perch on leaves or branches close to the water, or over the water.

Comments

This is one of the larger clubtails, and the wide club also adds to its striking appearance. However, it can be confused with the Cobra Clubtail. Mark Shields provided the first notable count of the species, seeing and photographing about 30 individuals as he was canoeing down the Black River along the Bladen - Pender county line on 27 May 2016. Recent review by our website editors have determined that one or two photos previously identified as Blackwater Clubtails are actually Cobra Clubtails. And, that puts into jeopardy any sight reports of this species, due to the great confusion of these two species; the Mecklenburg County and the Martin/Bertie (i.e., Roanoke River) reports should be considered as tenuous, and certainly not definitive. However, Vin Stanton made a remarkable discovery in July 2017, by photographing a female Blackwater Clubtail in Buncombe County near the French Broad River -- our first record for the western third of the state. The OdonataCentral database has a single record for eastern TN in the Ridge and Valley province, but otherwise the Buncombe and Transylvania records fill in a large gap in the range in the southern Appalachians (between eastern TN and west-central NC).

Considering the great number of recent records of the species from the Coastal Plain and Piedmont, the N.C. Natural Heritage Program has moved the species off its Watch List, in late 2020. The State Rank has been moved down to S3S4, also.

State Rank

S3S4

State Status

Global Rank

Federal Status

Synonym

Gomphus dilatatus

Other Name

Species account update: LeGrand on 2023-01-09 16:22:19

The Dragonflies and Damselflies of North Carolina
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Photo Gallery for Blackwater Clubtail 41 photos are available. Only the most recent 30 are shown.		Other NC Galleries: Jeff Pippen Will Cook Ted Wilcox
	Photo 1 by: Mark Shields Comment: Bladen, 2024-06-20, Cape Fear River at Elwell Ferry Boating Access Area		Photo 2 by: L. Arent, A. Whitlock Comment: Wilkes; P, 2024-06-14, Kerr Scott Dam Tailrace area
	Photo 3 by: Matt Spangler Comment: Chatham, 2024-06-09, Haw River--Bynum Dam - both Blackwater and Cobra present at same time		Photo 4 by: Bob Oberfelder Comment: Wake, 2024-05-26,
	Photo 5 by: Matt Spangler Comment: Chatham, 2023-06-02, Haw River--Bynum Dam (by kayak)		Photo 6 by: Paul Hart Comment: Harnett; C, 2022-06-28, Cape Fear Shiner County Park
	Photo 7 by: Mark Shields Comment: Nash, 2022-06-20, Tar River at Battle Park, Rocky Mount		Photo 8 by: Matt Spangler Comment: Edgecombe, 2022-05-22, Tar River--Tarboro section, from NC 33 to Shiloh Mills
	Photo 9 by: Tiffany Huffman Comment: Catawba, 2021-06-16, Riverbend Park, outside park office. Female. iNaturalist record 83323876. First record for county.		Photo 10 by: Rachel Malmgren Comment: Transylvania, 2021-06-11, Town of Pisgah Forest. iNaturalist record #82600937 - Male
	Photo 11 by: Matt Spangler Comment: Pender, 2021-05-24, Black River downstream of Hunts Bluff		Photo 12 by: Matt Spangler Comment: Pender, 2021-05-24, Black River downstream of Hunts Bluff
	Photo 13 by: Richard Stickney Comment: Wake, 2019-06-10, Falls Lake tailrace area - Male on rock in river		Photo 14 by: Mark Shields Comment: Sampson, 2019-05-24, Black River, from Ivanhoe Boating Access Area to 4.5 km upstream and back, by kayak. - First record for county.
	Photo 15 by: Mark Shields Comment: Sampson, 2019-05-24, Black River, from Ivanhoe Boating Access Area to 4.5 km upstream and back, by kayak. - First record for county.		Photo 16 by: Mark Shields Comment: Harnett; C, 2018-07-13, Cape Fear River Trail Park, Erwin - female
	Photo 17 by: Mike Turner Comment: Yadkin, 2018-07-13, Jonesville Greenway, Yadkin River		Photo 18 by: Mike Turner Comment: Davie, 2018-07-07, Bullhole River Park
	Photo 19 by: Mike Turner Comment: Davie, 2018-07-07, Bullhole River Park		Photo 20 by: Mark Shields Comment: Anson, 2018-07-06, Pee Dee River; 2 km stretch upstream from Diggs Tract Access, by kayak. First record for county.
	Photo 21 by: Mark Shields Comment: Richmond; P, 2018-07-06, Pee Dee River; 2 km stretch upstream from Diggs Tract Access, by kayak - male. First record for county.		Photo 22 by: Mike Turner Comment: Rowan, 2018-07-03, Bullhole River Park; S. Yadkin River - ad.male
	Photo 23 by: R Emmitt Comment: Wake, 2018-06-10, Neuse River below Falls Lake Dam. - photo on a rock just below the dam.		Photo 24 by: Mike Turner Comment: Surry, 2018-06-07, Crater Park, Yadkin River, Elkin
	Photo 25 by: Mike Turner Comment: Surry, 2018-06-07, Crater Park, Yadkin River, Elkin, NC		Photo 26 by: Vin Stanton Comment: Buncombe, 2017-07-04, Imaged at Hominy Creek about 75 yards from French Broad River - Female
	Photo 27 by: Vin Stanton Comment: Buncombe, 2017-07-04, Imaged at Hominy Creek about 75 yards from French Broad River - Female		Photo 28 by: Conrad Wernett, Alyssa Wernett Comment: Columbus, 2017-05-28, - Lake Waccamaw. Males perched on sunny structure from spillway into river downstream.
	Photo 29 by: Mark Shields Comment: Duplin, 2017-05-27, Northeast Cape Fear River between Chinquapin Boat Access and Wayne's Landing Boat Access, by kayak. First record for county.		Photo 30 by: Conrad Wernett Comment: Columbus, 2017-05-20, - Lake Waccamaw. Males perched on sunny structure from spillway into river downstream, single female netted at the spillway.