The Dragonflies and Damselflies of North Carolina
Home Page Search Odonate Resources
LoginNC Biodiversity ProjectComments
North Carolina's 189 Odonate species
Common Name: Scientific Name:

«      »

Sort Species by: Family   Scientific Name       [ Undocumented ]
Related Species in GOMPHIDAE: Number of records for 2024 = 0

PDF has more details,
e.g., flight data, high counts, and earliest/latest dates can be seen.
[View PDF]		Green-faced Clubtail (Hylogomphus viridifrons) by John Petranka
Compare with: Mustached 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.
Hylogomphus_viridifrons

[Google images]     [Global Biodiversity Information Facility]      iNaturalist
Map
Click on county for list of all its records for Green-faced Clubtail
Flight Charts
Distribution A Northern species, with the southeastern edge of the range reaching the mountains of the Carolinas and extreme northeastern GA (Rabun County). So far, NC records are only for Ashe, Alleghany, Buncombe, Madison, Macon, Watauga, and Yancey counties; however, it is likely being overlooked because of identification difficulties.
Abundance Dunkle (2000) says it is "scarce" within its overall range, and NatureServe gives it a G3G4 (rare to uncommon) global rank. Thus, it is assumed to also be rare in NC, especially considering that we have only 48 state records with dates. However, it is not rare immediately along the French Broad River in Madison and Buncombe counties, at least in recent years.
Flight Mainly late April into mid- or late June, but there are two fairly recent records in early April; the flight period might be moving earlier in the past few years.
Habitat Rocky and fast-moving rivers and large streams. Likes a mixed substrate of silt and gravel.
Behavior The species is most active late in the afternoon or in cloudy conditions. Males may perch on rocks in the rivers, or on vegetation or the ground near the shore.
Comments This is one of many clubtails that are poorly known in NC, as well as rather rare/scarce throughout the overall range. Thankfully, the large gap in the NC range between Ashe and Macon counties was "filled" by records from Madison and Buncombe counties in spring 2012, in Yancey in 2021, and Watauga in 2023. Jeff Pippen photographed one (shown on his website) from many angles, on 9 April, and this set of photos was reviewed by experts and determined to be this seemingly rare species. This is a difficult-to-identify species; in fact, several of this website's reviewers/editors have determined in 2016 and 2017 that quite a few photo records previously identified as Mustached Clubtail appear to be Green-faced Clubtail, and have been moved to this species account. Also, Green-faced Clubtail can easily be confused with Cobra Clubtail. All three species occur, or are believed to occur, along the French Broad River in Madison and Buncombe counties. What is most puzzling is that, despite this flurry of recent photographic records from Buncombe and Madison Counties, Duncan Cuyler never collected any individuals of Green-faced Clubtail from either of these counties!

With the increase in records (and counties) in the past few years, the State Rank probably should be moved from S1 down to S1S2 or to S2, as it no longer is critically endangered in the state; the editors suggest S1S2 for a revised State Rank.
State Rank S1 [S1S2]
State Status SR
Global Rank G3G4
Federal Status
Synonym Gomphus viridifrons
Other Name
Species account update: LeGrand on 2024-01-04 10:11:36
Photo Gallery for Green-faced Clubtail   55 photos are available.
Only the most recent 30 are shown.
Other NC Galleries:    Jeff Pippen    Will Cook    Ted Wilcox
Photo 1 by: Max Ramey

Comment: Ashe, 2023-06-01, Green Valley Community Park - South Fork New River - County record - 7 on and around the rocks and riffles between the park and the bridge upstream.		Photo 2 by: P Dixon

Comment: Madison, 2023-05-02, Hot Springs, River Road, downstream from Jack's Branch
Photo 3 by: P Dixon

Comment: Madison, 2023-04-28, French Broad, Hot Springs area, downstream from Jack's Branch, many Green-faced Clubtails sunning mid morning along River Road		Photo 4 by: P Dixon

Comment: Buncombe, 2023-04-20, Nymphs emerging from the French Broad on River Road, Jack's Branch area
Photo 5 by: P Dixon

Comment: Madison, 2022-06-21, Hot Springs area		Photo 6 by: P Dixon

Comment: Madison, 2022-06-21, Hot Springs area
Photo 7 by: P Dixon

Comment: Madison, 2022-04-27, Davis Branch, Hot Springs		Photo 8 by: P Dixon

Comment: Madison, 2022-04-27, Hot Springs area, several teneral individuals moving around the banks of Davis Branch
Photo 9 by: Max Ramey

Comment: Ashe, 2021-06-01, New River, right where Mill Creek flows in. On Railroad Grade Rd.		Photo 10 by: Kevin Dodson

Comment: Yancey, 2021-05-08, Nolichucky River, Lat: 36.070378 Lon: -82.379518. iNat Record 78211319 posted by John Petranka - Female.
Photo 11 by: Kevin Dodson

Comment: Yancey, 2021-05-08, Nolichucky River, Lat: 36.070378 Lon: -82.379518. iNat Record 78211319 posted by John Petranka - Female.		Photo 12 by: Jason P. Love

Comment: Macon, 2021-05-06, Found near wetland about 40 m from Little Tennessee River, Needmore Gamelands - Female; pic sent to John Petranka for identification
Photo 13 by: p dixon

Comment: Madison, 2021-04-20, Hot Springs area		Photo 14 by: B. Bockhahn, K. Kittelberger

Comment: Alleghany, 2020-06-03, New River State Park
Photo 15 by: B. Bockhahn, K. Kittelberger

Comment: Alleghany, 2020-06-03, New River State Park		Photo 16 by: B. Bockhahn, K. Kittelberger

Comment: Alleghany, 2020-06-03, New River State Park; photo by K. Kittelberger
Photo 17 by: B. Bockhahn, K. Kittelberger

Comment: Alleghany, 2020-06-03, New River State Park; photo by K. Kittelberger		Photo 18 by: B. Bockhahn, K. Kittelberger

Comment: Alleghany, 2020-06-03, New River State Park; photo by K. Kittelberger
Photo 19 by: B. Bockhahn, K. Kittelberger

Comment: Alleghany, 2020-06-03, New River State Park; photo by K. Kittelberger		Photo 20 by: B. Bockhahn, K. Kittelberger

Comment: Alleghany, 2020-06-03, New River State Park; photo by K. Kittelberger
Photo 21 by: B. Bockhahn, K. Kittelberger

Comment: Alleghany, 2020-06-03, New River State Park; photo by K. Kittelberger		Photo 22 by: p dixon

Comment: Madison, 2020-05-14, Beside the French Broad River, Hot Springs area - riverside foliage
Photo 23 by: p dixon

Comment: Madison, 2020-05-02, Hot Springs area, River Road 		Photo 24 by: p dixon

Comment: Madison, 2020-05-02, Hot Springs area, River Road
Photo 25 by: p dixon

Comment: Madison, 2020-04-29, Hot Springs area, French Broad River		Photo 26 by: p dixon

Comment: Madison, 2020-04-29, Hot Springs area, French Broad River
Photo 27 by: John Petranka.

Comment: Alleghany, 2019-06-04, New River at Farmers Fish Camp Rd.. - Female. With accumulated egg mass.		Photo 28 by: Pete Dixon

Comment: Madison, 2019-05-29, River Road, 1:30-4:30pm, Broadwing farm to Murray Branch, sunny, high 80s
Photo 29 by: Mike Turner

Comment: Alleghany, 2018-06-09, New River State Park - King's Creek Access - South Fork New River		Photo 30 by: Mike Turner

Comment: Alleghany, 2018-06-09, New River State Park - King's Creek Access - South Fork New River