NC Odonate Website

Related Species in GOMPHIDAE:

Number of records for 2025 = 1

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Cobra Clubtail (Gomphurus vastus) by Mark Shields

Compare with: Blackwater Clubtail Splendid Clubtail Midland Clubtail Septima's Clubtail Cocoa Clubtail
Identification Tips: Move the cursor over the image, or tap the image if using a mobile device, to reveal ID Tips.
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 Cobra Clubtail

Flight Charts

Distribution

Widely scattered over the western two-thirds of the state, east barely into the western Coastal Plain. Interestingly, nearly all of the mountain and western Piedmont records have come in the past few years, suggesting a possible westward range expansion in the state, though most range maps show the species occurring over the majority of the eastern United States. Likely absent at middle and higher elevations in the mountains. A puzzling scarcity of records from the middle of this range in the state -- such as the central Piedmont; there are no records as yet from heavily populated (by man!) counties of Guilford, Forsyth, Mecklenburg, and Gaston -- suggesting true rarity in this region. A photo record in 2024 has added the Roanoke River drainage to the state range, extending the eastward boundary to central Halifax County.

Abundance

Uncommon and local in the eastern Piedmont. Rare to locally uncommon elsewhere in the mountains and Piedmont, though can be numerous along the French Broad River in Madison and Buncombe counties. Very rare in the western part of the Coastal Plain, as well as in the southwestern mountains (where there are as yet no records).

Flight

Mostly early May to mid-July, with an early date of 20 April. A seemingly quite late record on 8 August is open to question, though there are now a number of records for mid-July.

Habitat

Breeds at rivers and large streams, where rocky or with riffles.

See also Habitat Account for Piedmont and General Rocky Rivers

Behavior

Males perch along the shore on the ground, or on rocks in the rivers. Both sexes are often seen perched on vegetation, as well. They may fly well out over the rivers.

Comments

This is a very striking species, quite black on the abdomen with very contrasting yellow markings. And, the male's club is very wide -- cobra-like, giving rise to the common name. Even so, there are a few other clubtails (such as Skillet, Splendid, and Blackwater) with wide clubs, and thus sight records must be made with care. Indeed, a few photos on this website have been re-evaluated by experts (in late 2016), and several photos reported as other species have been determined to be Cobra Clubtails by website editors/reviewers.

State Rank

S3S4

State Status

Global Rank

Federal Status

Synonym

Gomphus vastus

Other Name

Species account update: LeGrand on 2024-05-08 11:30:26

The Dragonflies and Damselflies of North Carolina
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Photo Gallery for Cobra Clubtail 54 photos are available. Only the most recent 30 are shown.		Other NC Galleries: Jeff Pippen Will Cook Ted Wilcox
	Photo 1 by: Jeffrey Pippen Comment: Alleghany, 2025-06-04, New River; Farmers Fish Camp Rd access; with Lori Arent and Ryan Chaffee - On rocks at/near shoreline		Photo 2 by: Matt Spangler Comment: Chatham, 2024-06-09, Haw River--Bynum Dam - both Blackwater and Cobra present at same time
	Photo 3 by: Jeffrey Pippen, Harry LeGrand Comment: Halifax; P, 2024-05-07, Found crawling on shore of Roanoke River. Wings never developed properly.		Photo 4 by: Mark Shields, Hunter Phillips, Lucas Wilson Comment: Richmond; P, 2024-04-28, Pee Dee National Wildlife Refuge; Andrews Pond to Pee Dee River - male
	Photo 5 by: Matt Spangler Comment: Chatham, 2022-05-20, Haw River--N Chatham (Chicken Bridge to Bynum dam backwater)		Photo 6 by: Max Ramey, Aaron Reb Comment: Wilkes; P, 2021-07-17, Kerr Scott Dam/ Yadkin River (Dam to 1000 ft downstream)
	Photo 7 by: Max Ramey, Aaron Reb Comment: Wilkes; P, 2021-07-17, Kerr Scott Dam/ Yadkin River (Dam to 1000 ft downstream)		Photo 8 by: Tiffany Huffman Comment: Catawba, 2021-07-09, Catawba River at Riverbend Park, iNaturalist record #86312404 - female
	Photo 9 by: Ella Adamson, Zoey York Comment: Madison, 2020-06-13, Hot Springs area		Photo 10 by: p dixon Comment: Madison, 2020-06-06, French Broad River, Hot Springs area
	Photo 11 by: B. Bockhahn, K. Kittelberger Comment: Alleghany, 2020-06-03, New River State Park		Photo 12 by: B. Bockhahn, K. Kittelberger Comment: Alleghany, 2020-06-03, New River State Park
	Photo 13 by: B. Bockhahn, K. Kittelberger Comment: Alleghany, 2020-06-03, New River State Park; photo by K. Kittelberger		Photo 14 by: B. Bockhahn, K. Kittelberger Comment: Alleghany, 2020-06-03, New River State Park; photo by K. Kittelberger
	Photo 15 by: B. Bockhahn, K. Kittelberger Comment: Alleghany, 2020-06-03, New River State Park; photo by K. Kittelberger		Photo 16 by: B. Bockhahn, K. Kittelberger Comment: Alleghany, 2020-06-03, New River State Park; photo by K. Kittelberger
	Photo 17 by: Mike Turner Comment: Wilkes; P, 2019-05-26, Lowe's Rivers Edge Park; Wilkesboro		Photo 18 by: Pete Dixon Comment: Madison, 2019-05-13, River Road, Murray Branch Meadows
	Photo 19 by: Mike Turner Comment: Yadkin, 2018-07-20, Pilot Mountain State Park - Yadkin River section		Photo 20 by: Mike Turner Comment: Alleghany, 2018-07-15, New River @ SR 1345 (Farmers Fish Camp Rd.)
	Photo 21 by: Mark Shields Comment: Richmond; P, 2018-07-06, Pee Dee River; 2 km stretch upstream from Diggs Tract Access, by kayak - males. First record for county.		Photo 22 by: Mark Shields Comment: Anson, 2018-07-06, Pee Dee River; 2 km stretch upstream from Diggs Tract Access, by kayak
	Photo 23 by: Richard Stickney Comment: Yadkin, 2018-06-24, Park at Yadkin River/NC 67 - all females		Photo 24 by: Mike Turner Comment: Yadkin, 2018-06-23, Pilot Mountain State Park - Yadkin River Section
	Photo 25 by: Mike Turner Comment: Surry, 2018-06-10, Crater Park, Yadkin River, Elkin		Photo 26 by: Mike Turner Comment: Surry, 2018-06-10, Crater Park, Yadkin River, Elkin
	Photo 27 by: Mike Turner Comment: Alleghany, 2018-05-19, New River @ SR 1345 (Farmers Fish Camp Rd.) - all tenerals; at least 10 Gomphurus emerging but too young to be sure of species		Photo 28 by: Mike Turner Comment: Alleghany, 2018-05-19, New River @ SR 1345 (Farmers Fish Camp Rd.) - all tenerals; at least 10 Gomphurus emerging but too young to be sure of species
	Photo 29 by: Mike Turner Comment: Alleghany, 2018-05-19, New River @ SR 1345 (Farmers Fish Camp Rd.) - all tenerals; at least 10 Gomphurus emerging but too young to be xure of species		Photo 30 by: M. Turner, J. Daigle, T. Schoch, S. Daniel, K. Larsen Comment: Harnett; C, 2018-05-10, Cape Fear River Trail; Erwin - adult males and teneral