NC Odonate Website

Related Species in COENAGRIONIDAE:

Number of records for 2024 = 8

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Furtive Forktail (Ischnura prognata) by Mark Shields

Compare with: Rambur's Forktail Eastern Forktail
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 Furtive Forktail

Flight Charts

Distribution

Scattered over most of the Coastal Plain and the eastern half of the Piedmont. Nonetheless, it has been recorded from slightly fewer than half of the counties within this eastern NC range. A 2019 photograph from Buncombe County, in the mountains, was a remarkable record and a first for that province; another record in 2021 came from nearby Madison County. Thus, it could well range throughout the Piedmont, but in the mountains clearly is found only at very low elevations, so far only in the French Broad River valleys.

Abundance

Rare to uncommon in the lower half of the Coastal Plain (inward to about Bertie and Bladen counties), and certainly rare in the upper Coastal Plain and into the eastern half of the Piedmont. Extremely rare farther westward, with just the single 2019 and 2021 mountain records and 2022 records for Mecklenburg and Cabarrus counties. It is certainly overlooked in its shady habitat. The peak count of just 12 individuals is indicative of its relative scarcity, as is its spotty range in the state.

Flight

The flight patterns are oddly "bimodal", seemingly one that aestivates in the warmer months. Most of the combined Coastal Plain and Piedmont records fall between late March and mid-June, and again between mid-October and late December.

Habitat

Streams, swamp edges, and other pools under heavy shade, essentially always under a forest canopy.

See also Habitat Account for General Wet-Hydric Forests

Behavior

Quite shy, this species comes by its common name honestly. Individuals perch low, often hidden in vegetation, especially in shady places.

Comments

This species' odd habitat selection -- shaded waters in forests -- makes it somewhat more difficult to survey for, and observe/photograph -- than other damselflies. This behavior is at least partly responsible for its spotty range in the state. Mark Shields has provided several recent (2016-21) photos from the southeastern corner of the state, and several others added photos from the northern Coastal Plain in 2018. Jason Love and others captured and photographed one in the mountains in 2019, for a most surprising record and a major range extension. Interestingly and oddly, our first record from fairly well-worked Brunswick County did not come until 2020, with a photo posted on the iNaturalist website.

State Rank

S3S4

State Status

Global Rank

Federal Status

Synonym

Other Name

Species account update: LeGrand on 2023-01-18 17:28:12

The Dragonflies and Damselflies of North Carolina
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Photo Gallery for Furtive Forktail 32 photos are available. Only the most recent 30 are shown.		Other NC Galleries: Jeff Pippen Will Cook Ted Wilcox
	Photo 1 by: Amy Padgett Comment: Bladen, 2024-10-26, 2 miles SE of Clarkton - 2:45P in vegetation along swamp stream		Photo 2 by: Amy Padgett Comment: Bladen, 2024-08-31, Swamp trail 2 miles SE of Clarkton - 3:50P in vegetation on banks of creek
	Photo 3 by: Kevin Metcalf Comment: Anson, 2024-04-13, - 1 male, Pee Dee wildlife refuge		Photo 4 by: Amy Padgett Comment: Bladen, 2024-04-13, Slades Swamp: mixed hardwoods 2 miles SW of Clarkton - Woods, in Lizard's Tail along stream
	Photo 5 by: Amy Padgett Comment: Bladen, 2022-08-08, Wooded edges ofswampy early successional cutover just southeast of Clarkton. 34.4604, -78.638358, iNaturalist #130313844 - Male.		Photo 6 by: Amy Padgett Comment: Bladen, 2022-08-06, Wooded edges of swampy early successional cutover just southeast of Clarkton. 34.453871, -78.633842, iNaturalist #129758387 - Female
	Photo 7 by: Harry LeGrand, Lori Arent Comment: Moore; C, 2022-04-28, Drowning Creek at Thunder Road - females, ovipositing on a grass just above water; photo by Lori Arent		Photo 8 by: Roger Shaw Comment: Carteret, 2022-04-17, Croatan NF - Millis Swamp at Millis Rd.
	Photo 9 by: Kevin Metcalf Comment: Mecklenburg, 2022-04-15, Photographed; Big Rock Nature Preserve, along stream in wooded area - Appears to be a first County Record		Photo 10 by: Travis McLain Comment: Cabarrus, 2022-04-15, Rocky River near Stanfield; iNaturalist Record #112115508
	Photo 11 by: Matt Spangler Comment: Scotland, 2022-04-10, Lumber River--Turnpike Rd to SP at Chalk Banks (by kayak)		Photo 12 by: Renee Clayton Comment: Person, 2022-04-07, Helena-Moriah Rd. iNaturalist record #110999638
	Photo 13 by: Matt Spangler Comment: Chatham, 2021-09-24, Jordan Lake--Bush Creek Marsh		Photo 14 by: Matt Spangler Comment: Chatham, 2021-08-19, The Glades - Female, in a shady native upland meadow near the house, not particularly close to suitable habitat. Appears to be a Chatham Co. record.
	Photo 15 by: p dixon Comment: Madison, 2021-05-15, Davis Branch		Photo 16 by: Mark Shields Comment: Onslow, 2021-04-16, my property, Holly Ridge - 3 males, 1 female
	Photo 17 by: Matt Spangler Comment: Richmond; C, 2021-04-12, Sandhills GL Block A (Lake Bagget and nearby ponds and roads) - apparent county record, near wooded creek 1/2 mile upstream of Lake Bagget		Photo 18 by: Jim Brighton Comment: Brunswick, 2020-10-31, Rice Creek, upstream from the boat ramp near Winnabow. iNaturalist record #64552677 - Female
	Photo 19 by: Mark Shields Comment: Onslow, 2020-04-21, my property, Holly Ridge - male		Photo 20 by: Jason Love, Sam McCoy, Palmer Dangerfield Comment: Buncombe, 2019-05-24, Sandy Bottom Wetland Preserve - I.D. based on size (larger than most forktails) and only S9 blue (hard to tell from picture). Overall very long and slender thorax and abdomen, blue on S9, and frayed cerci. For reference, the width of my finger in the pic is 1/2-inch. Part of an effort to inventory butterflies and odonates at the Sandy Bottom Wetland Preserve in cooperation with the NC Wildlife Resources Commission and UNC-Asheville. Also submitted to iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/26688763
	Photo 21 by: Mark Shields, Hunter Phillips Comment: Onslow, 2019-03-31, Stones Creek Game Land - 6 mature males, 3 immature females. Photo shows immature female.		Photo 22 by: Hunter Phillips Comment: Onslow, 2018-12-17 - Derby Downs Drive, Sneads Ferry
	Photo 23 by: John Petranka Comment: Bertie, 2018-04-29, Charles Kuralt Trail, Roanoke River NWR along US 17 north of Williamston. - 10 males, 2 females.		Photo 24 by: John Petranka Comment: Bertie, 2018-04-29, Charles Kuralt Trail, Roanoke River NWR along US 17 north of Williamston. - 10 males, 2 females.
	Photo 25 by: Conrad Wernett Comment: Columbus, 2018-04-21, Lake Waccamaw State Park, near boat ramp on Big Creek - Male photographed, another male and female sighted		Photo 26 by: Mark Shields Comment: Camden, 2018-04-14, Dismal Swamp State Park (DISW) - female seen in swamp from boardwalk
	Photo 27 by: Mark Shields Comment: New Hanover, 2017-11-25, Carolina Beach State Park (CABE), limesink ponds - 2 lone males, 1 pair in wheel		Photo 28 by: Mark Shields Comment: New Hanover, 2017-11-18, Carolina Beach State Park (CABE), limesink ponds - male
	Photo 29 by: Mark Shields Comment: New Hanover, 2016-11-25, limesink ponds at Carolina Beach State Park - 1 single male and a pair in wheel		Photo 30 by: Mark Shields Comment: Pender, 2016-10-28, 1 female, Holly Shelter Game Land, greentree impoundment, southwest of Holly Shelter Boating Access