The Dragonflies and Damselflies of North Carolina
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North Carolina's 188 Odonate species
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Related Species in GOMPHIDAE: Number of records added in 2021 = 0

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[View PDF]		Septima's Clubtail (Gomphurus septima) by Mark Shields
Compare with: Splendid Clubtail   Cobra Clubtail   Cocoa Clubtail   Blackwater Clubtail   Midland 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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mapClick on county for list of all its records for Septima's Clubtail
flight charts
distribution Range has been expanding westward into the central and northwestern Piedmont in recent years, and thus now is present over essentially all of the eastern and central Piedmont, as well as into the upper edge of the Coastal Plain along the Roanoke and Cape Fear rivers. The species has a peculiar, disjunct, or relict range, and so far has been found only in NY, PA, NJ, VA, NC, SC, and AL (according to the OdonataCentral map). Thus, DE, MD, and GA lack records; and it has been found in just two counties each in VA, SC, and AL (OdonataCentral map).
abundance Uncommon to locally fairly common, but widespread, within its NC range; noticeably increasing in the past few years -- a true increase in numbers as opposed to just an increase in search effort. Mainly in the Cape Fear River system -- Haw, Rocky, Deep, and the Cape Fear itself. Rare to uncommon in the Yadkin/Pee Dee River system. Rare in the Neuse, Tar, and Roanoke, where so far found only along these rivers (includes the Eno River as the upper end of the Neuse) and not their tributaries; only recently reported from the latter two rivers. Discovered in the Dan River system in spring 2017, but likely rare to very uncommon there.
flight Early April to the end of May, and sparingly to mid-June. The peak is during the first half of May. The flight period has moved forward (earlier) by a week to 10 days over the past decade. Formerly quite rare before very late April, but now with a number of records prior to 20 April.
habitat Breeds in clean, fast rivers and very large streams.

See also Habitat Account for Piedmont and General Rocky Rivers
behavior Males perch on the ground near rivers, but they also perch on rocks in the rivers. For a clubtail, this species is rather easily observed and photographed, as individuals often perch on dirt roads, trails, and other spots away from the rivers.
comments Until about 15 years ago, the species was known (apparently) only from NC and AL, and presumed to exist only in NC at that time. It has since been found far to the north in NY and NJ. This is, or at least was until about 10 years ago, one of the rarest dragonflies in the eastern United States. It has been found in 19 counties in NC (new in 2019 in Yadkin and Davidson counties), with photographic documentation for many of them. As mentioned above, the species is clearly on the increase in the state, and is now one of the more readily found clubtails along the larger rivers in the eastern third of the Piedmont. It should be re-ranked by NatureServe as G3, and in late 2018 the NC Natural Heritage Program changed the State Rank from S2 to S3. (It is hardly in danger of extirpation from NC or extinction over its range now.)
state_status SR
S_rank S3
fed_status
G_rank G2 [G3]
date_spread [Overwinter:] [Date Spread:] [No Late Date:] [Split on Feb:] [Default:]
synonym Gomphus septima
other_name
Species account update: LeGrand1234
Photo Gallery for Septima's Clubtail   39 photos are available.
Only the most recent 30 are shown.
Other NC Galleries:    Jeff Pippen    Will Cook    Ted Wilcox
Photo 1 by: Rob Van Epps, Kevin Metcalf

Comment: Montgomery, 2020-05-16, Low Water Bridge on Uwharrie River		Photo 2 by: Mike Turner

Comment: Anson, 2020-05-02, Pee Dee National Wildlife Refuge-Leak's Ferry Rd.
Photo 3 by: Will Stuart

Comment: Anson, 2020-05-01, Seen along Leaks Ferry Road .3 miles WNW of the 		Photo 4 by: E. Corey

Comment: Cumberland, 2020-04-06, CACR - Sandhills Tract - Male, first observed eating unidentified damselfly. ID confirmed by Mark Shields, John Petranka, and Harry LeGrand @ -78.873463, 35.177239
Photo 5 by: Jan Hansen

Comment: Chatham, 2020-03-29, Bynum Bridge. Trail going east on the south side of the Haw River. - Bynum Bridge		Photo 6 by: Richard Stickney

Comment: Chatham, 2020-03-29, White Pines Preserve
Photo 7 by: Mike Turner

Comment: Yadkin, 2019-06-01, Donnaha Paddle Access, Yadkin River @ NC 67		Photo 8 by: R. Emmitt

Comment: Durham, 2019-05-16, Eno River State Park Cole Mile Road - female
Photo 9 by: John Petranka

Comment: Orange, 2019-05-03, Eno River at Eno River State Park (ENRI) Pleasant Green Access. - Male.		Photo 10 by: Mike Turner

Comment: Davidson, 2019-05-01, Yadkin River (Tuckertown Lake) below High Rock Lake dam
Photo 11 by: Richard Stickney

Comment: Orange, 2019-04-28, ENRI - Powerline cut off Old Cole Mill Road		Photo 12 by: Richard Stickney

Comment: Durham, 2019-04-28, Penny's Bend - Male eating a moth
Photo 13 by: Mike Turner

Comment: Lee, 2018-05-12, Deep River Park/Camelback Bridge		Photo 14 by: M. Turner, J. Daigle, T. Schoch, T. Deering

Comment: Chatham, 2018-05-12, Deep River Park/Camelback Bridge
Photo 15 by: Tim Deering/Jerrell Daigle

Comment: Chatham, 2018-05-12, Camelback Bridge Landing, Deep River		Photo 16 by: Mike Turner and Randy Emmitt

Comment: Chatham, 2018-05-05, White Pines Nature Preserve - plus 5 that were probably this species but didn't see well enough for positive ID
Photo 17 by: Mark Shields

Comment: Chatham, 2018-05-05, Deep River Park - males		Photo 18 by: Mike Turner

Comment: Montgomery, 2018-04-29, Uwharrie River @ Low Water Bridge - ad.male
Photo 19 by: Mark Shields

Comment: Montgomery, 2018-04-21, Uwharrie River at Low Water Bridge - male		Photo 20 by: Mark Shields

Comment: Montgomery, 2018-04-21, Uwharrie River at Low Water Bridge - male
Photo 21 by: Richard Stickney

Comment: Alamance, 2017-05-28, Swepsonville River Park - old females		Photo 22 by: Richard Stickney

Comment: Alamance, 2017-05-28, Swepsonville River Park - old females
Photo 23 by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn

Comment: Stokes, 2017-05-03, Hanging Rock State Park - male, first county record; Moratoc Park. Brian has a real nice photo		Photo 24 by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn

Comment: Rockingham, 2017-05-02, Mayo River State Park - male, first county record. Below the boiling hole, a class 3 rapid just a few hundred feet south of bridge
Photo 25 by: Conrad Wernett

Comment: Alamance, 2017-04-15, - Single male photographed at Swepsonville River Park on Haw River, other similarly colored/sized clubtails flying, presumed to be same species.		Photo 26 by: John Petranka

Comment: Montgomery, 2016-04-05, Uwharrie National Forest, NC 109 at Uwharrie River Bridge. 2 females. Photo.
Photo 27 by: John Petranka

Comment: Alamance, 2015-05-13, Haw River at Swepsonville. Perched on rock in river about 100 meters downstream from the bridge. Accessible from the Swepsonville River Park Trail. - Female.		Photo 28 by: Rick Cheicante

Comment: Halifax; P, 2015-05-03,
Photo 29 by: Rick Cheicante

Comment: Halifax; P, 2015-05-03, 		Photo 30 by: Alicia Jackson-Home

Comment: Moore; P, 2014-05-03, Rascob Road at a tributary of the Deep River