NC Odonate Website

Related Species in CORDULEGASTRIDAE:		Number of records for 2024 = 1
Added in 2024-00-00 from a previous years = 3 (2021-08-00) (2023-07-00) (2023-08-00)

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Tiger Spiketail (Zoraena erronea) by Richard Stickney

Compare with: Twin-spotted Spiketail Arrowhead Spiketail Brown Spiketail
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 to both sexes. Female depicted here.

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Map

Click on county for list of all its records for Tiger Spiketail

Flight Charts

Distribution

Present throughout the mountains and foothills, and the northern third of the Piedmont. Presence in the southeastern half of the Piedmont is uncertain, though there are no records between Rutherford/Catawba and Wake counties.

Abundance

Uncommon in the mountains and the Piedmont foothills, but rare to uncommon eastward in the Piedmont to the north-central Piedmont. Very rare now in the northeastern Piedmont. Dunkle (2000) calls it "local" throughout its range, Paulson (2011) calls it "rather rare" over its range, and Beaton (2007) says "Uncommon to rare and local" in GA. The species seems to be slightly increasing in recent decades in NC, and there are numerous photo records in the past few years on the iNaturalist website.

Flight

The flights in the mountains and Piedmont are roughly similar -- late May into early September. However, it is most frequent in July and in the first half of August.

Habitat

Small streams or seeps, without fish; in partial shade. Streams may be rocky, but may have a sandy substrate.

Behavior

Males cruise in the vicinity of the seeps, though they can be difficult to find when perched. The males are more active late in the day, and may fly and perch well away from seeps, often on a twig or stem just one to several feet off the ground, for easy viewing and photographing.

Comments

For whatever reason, Duncan Cuyler had relatively few numbers of collected specimens and county records, as compared with the gratifyingly large number of recent records, especially those documented with photos. Photos have now been taken in at least 16 counties, both in the mountains/foothills and in the far northern Piedmont. These data seem to indicate that the Tiger Spiketail is increasing in numbers in recent decades, though it might simply be that the species is not a difficult one to photograph, especially by the layperson walking along montane trails and roads. Because of this increase in recent records, the N.C. Natural Heritage Program removed it from the Watch List in fall 2014.

The spiketails in North America had a change in genus name from Cordulegaster to Zoraena in fall 2024 (Paulson et al. 2024).

State Rank

S3S4

State Status

Global Rank

Federal Status

Synonym

Cordulegaster erronea

Other Name

Species account update: LeGrand on 2024-09-29 13:04:22

The Dragonflies and Damselflies of North Carolina
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Photo Gallery for Tiger Spiketail 27 photos are shown.		Other NC Galleries: Jeff Pippen Will Cook Ted Wilcox
	Photo 1 by: G. McGrane Comment: Caldwell, 2024-06-11, Globe Mtn Road - FR 288		Photo 2 by: Richard Stickney Comment: Alleghany, 2020-08-09, Stone Mountain State Park, seeps near campground - 1 perching female and 1 patrolling male
	Photo 3 by: p dixon Comment: Madison, 2020-07-07, Bluff Mountain, Betty's Place Trail		Photo 4 by: Jennifer Sikes Comment: Wake, 2020-06-18, At a private residence with a seep on the property. Stoneridge Drive, Raleigh. iNaturalist record# 50111511 Submitted by John Petranka. - Male.
	Photo 5 by: Rick Biel Comment: Yancey, 2020-05-27, Near Cane River. From iNaturalist record https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/47521736#activity_identification_106416326 - Teneral male with exuvia.		Photo 6 by: P Dixon Comment: Madison, 2019-09-01, Polecat Road
	Photo 7 by: Andy Davidson Comment: Macon, 2019-06-16, Small Creek at Highlands Biological Station; iNaturalist record# 102243542 - Male		Photo 8 by: B. Bockhahn Comment: Transylvania, 2019-05-28, Gorges State Park
	Photo 9 by: John Petranka, Sally Gewalt Comment: Alleghany, 2017-08-04, Stone Mountain State Park. Seep and boggy area near campground Loop B. - 2 males, 1 ovipositing female. Photo is of female.		Photo 10 by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin Comment: Yancey, 2017-07-14, Three individuals were observed in a small woodland stream and seepage complex near Spivey Gap.
	Photo 11 by: Timothy Deering Comment: Buncombe, 2016-05-24, Alexander. Flew into neighbor		Photo 12 by: John Petranka, Sally Gewalt Comment: Alleghany, 2015-07-14, Stone Mountain State Park (STMO). Seep and boggy area near campground Loop B. - Male. Long patrols of the seep, passing over a given area every few minutes. Low-light flight photo taken.
	Photo 13 by: M. Griffin Comment: Stokes, 2015-06-06, Hanging Rock State Park - Female found on Riverbluffs Trail.		Photo 14 by: Owen McConnell Comment: Graham, 2014-09-02, at a tiny branch of Squally Creek
	Photo 15 by: Lori Owenby Comment: Catawba, 2014-08-03, Riverbend Park, northeast of Hickory. Trail along the Catawba River. - Male.		Photo 16 by: Bob Cherry Comment: Jackson, 2012-07-16, Blue Ridge Parkway
	Photo 17 by: Jeff Beane Comment: Rutherford; P, 2012-06-09, Union Mills - Box Creek SNHA (Significant Natural Heritage Area) - female - ID by JEC		Photo 18 by: Jeff Beane Comment: Rutherford; P, 2012-06-09, Union Mills - Box Creek SNHA (Significant Natural Heritage Area) - female - ID by JEC
	Photo 19 by: Vin Stanton Comment: Buncombe, 2011-08-16, Richmond Hill Park, North Asheville		Photo 20 by: Vin Stanton Comment: Buncombe, 2011-08-16, Richmond Hill Park, North Asheville
	Photo 21 by: Beth Brinson Comment: Rockingham, 2011-08-07, Mayo River State Park		Photo 22 by: Vin Stanton Comment: Buncombe, 2011-07-30, Richmond Hill Park, near small stream
	Photo 23 by: Curtis Smalling Comment: Watauga, 2011-07-22, finally had to catch it to get a pic. Habitat matches description perfectly		Photo 24 by: Curtis Smalling Comment: Watauga, 2011-07-22, finally had to catch it to get a pic. Habitat matches description perfectly
	Photo 25 by: Beth Brinson Comment: Surry, 2009-08-08, Pilot Mountain State Park		Photo 26 by: Ted Wilcox Comment: Wilkes; P, 2007-08-07, male
	Photo 27 by: Vin Stanton Comment: Buncombe, 2011-07-30, Richmond Hill Park