NC Odonate Website

Related Species in GOMPHIDAE:

Number of records for 2024 = 3

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Clearlake Clubtail (Phanogomphus australis) by Ali Iyoob, Matt Daw, Dan Irizarry

Compare with: Diminutive 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 Clearlake Clubtail

Flight Charts

Distribution

The southern Coastal Plain, from Carteret County west to Moore and Richmond counties. As would be surmised from the range, NC lies at the northern edge of the species' range. The Richmond County records (photographs first taken in 2011) extend the range slightly northward, and a record from adjacent Moore County in 2017 extends the range even more to the north. A photographic record in 2013 confirms the species from Bladen County, filling a gap in the former range. A photographic record from Carteret County in 2017 greatly extends the range eastward.

Abundance

Extremely local, known from only a handful of lakes and ponds in the state; however, not scarce at one or two sites in Richmond County. Range and abundance between the lower Coastal Plain and the Sandhills (Scotland County) is unknown, but SC has no records away from the Sandhills/Fall Line counties. Interestingly, as many as 10 individuals have been seen at the Richmond County site.

Flight

Fairly early in the season: mid-April to mid-May.

Habitat

Lakes and ponds with sand bottoms and heavy vegetation, often with lily pads. The primary Richmond County site is a lake adjacent to a fish hatchery, with some dense concentrations of lily pads and other aquatic vegetation, particularly near the dam. The Bladen County record is from a large natural Carolina bay lake. The Carteret County site is a fairly large limesink pond, in otherwise sandy pinelands.

See also Habitat Account for Coastal Plain Herbaceous Ponds and Sloughs

Behavior

Males perch on lily pads and other vegetation close to the lakes and ponds.

Comments

Both Dunkle (2000) and Beaton (2007) mention the association of the species with lily pads. Thus, it suggests that biologists should try to find the species by searching out ponds or lakes with many lily pads. Gratifyingly, in the past few years, biologists have expanded the range and known sites and counties for the species in NC; it is not nearly as rare as thought just a few years ago, and the State Rank has been moved from S1 to now S2 in 2020.

State Rank

State Status

Global Rank

Federal Status

Synonym

Gomphus australis

Other Name

Species account update: LeGrand on 2023-01-10 11:30:39

The Dragonflies and Damselflies of North Carolina
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Photo Gallery for Clearlake Clubtail 18 photos are shown.		Other NC Galleries: Jeff Pippen Will Cook Ted Wilcox
	Photo 1 by: Lucas Wilson Comment: Richmond; C, 2024-06-07, - Indian Camp Lake. Female ovipositing. Surprisingly not worn.		Photo 2 by: Matt Spangler Comment: Richmond; C, 2023-05-07, McKinney Lake State Fish Hatchery
	Photo 3 by: Richard Stickney Comment: Richmond; C, 2023-04-17, Indian Camp Lake - Males		Photo 4 by: Rob Van Epps, Kevin Metcalf Comment: Richmond; C, 2020-04-26, Lake McKinney fish hatchery
	Photo 5 by: Mark Shields Comment: Carteret, 2018-04-18, Ponds along Patsy Pond Nature Trail, Croatan National Forest - 1 teneral flushed from shoreline; 1 just emerged on lilypad		Photo 6 by: Mark Shields Comment: Brunswick, 2018-04-17, Boiling Spring Lakes - exuvia on lilypad in North Lake
	Photo 7 by: Mark Shields, Chris Hill Comment: Carteret, 2017-05-19, Ponds along Patsy Pond Nature Trail, Croatan National Forest - female ovipositing in Lily Pond		Photo 8 by: Kyle Kittelberger Comment: Scotland, 2017-05-08, Sandhill Game Land; Scotland Lake - all males
	Photo 9 by: Mike Turner, Conrad Wernett, Alyssa Wernett Comment: Scotland, 2017-05-07, Sandhill Game Land; Scotland Lake. Being preyed on by a Comet Darner.		Photo 10 by: Conrad Wernett Comment: Carteret, 2017-04-30, - Three males seen and photographed at Patsy Pond in Croatan National Forest.
	Photo 11 by: Richard Stickney Comment: Moore; C, 2017-04-30, - Upper pond at Sandhills Community College gardens - male		Photo 12 by: Mark Shields Comment: Brunswick, 2017-04-12, North Lake and Spring Lake parks, Boiling Spring Lakes - female at Spring Lake Park
	Photo 13 by: Conrad Wernett, Alyssa Wernett, Matt Anderson Comment: Scotland, 2015-05-03, - Males photographed around Scotland Lake in the sandhills		Photo 14 by: Stevie Tatum Comment: Bladen, 2013-05-20, Natural lake; confirmed by D. Paulson and E. Corey
	Photo 15 by: Ali Iyoob, Matt Daw, Dan Irizarry Comment: Richmond; C, 2011-05-05, McKinney Lake Fish Hatchery - also 1 emerging from exuvia		Photo 16 by: Ali Iyoob, Matt Daw, Dan Irizarry Comment: Richmond; C, 2011-05-05. McKinney Lake Fish Hatchery - also 1 emerging from exuvia
	Photo 17 by: Ali Iyoob, Matt Daw, Dan Irizarry Comment: Richmond; C, 2011-05-05. McKinney Lake Fish Hatchery - also 1 emerging from exuvia		Photo 18 by: Ali Iyoob, Matt Daw, Dan Irizarry Comment: Richmond; C, 2011-05-05. McKinney Lake Fish Hatchery - also 1 emerging from exuvia