The Dragonflies and Damselflies of North Carolina
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North Carolina's 189 Odonate species
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Related Species in GOMPHIDAE: Number of records for 2024 = 0

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[View PDF]		Edmund's Snaketail (Ophiogomphus edmundo) by John Petranka
Compare with: Appalachian Snaketail   Maine Snaketail   Rusty Snaketail   Brook Snaketail  
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Note: these identification tips apply specifically to mature males; features may differ in immature males and in females.
Ophiogomphus_edmundo

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Click on county for list of all its records for Edmund's Snaketail
Flight Charts
Distribution According to the Odonata Central map, this species has now been found in barely a dozen counties in its range, in western VA (in 2021), in western NC, southeastern TN, extreme western SC, and northern GA. The NC range is the escarpment/foothills, in Caldwell and Burke counties, plus a few sites in Stokes and Rockingham counties in the northwestern Piedmont. This clubtail species ought to be present in other NC foothill counties, especially south of Burke County, as well as in the gap between Stokes and Caldwell counties.
Abundance Very rare throughout its range, as well as in NC. However, at the very few locations where found, there have been moderate numbers seen in a given day -- especially along the Mayo River in Rockingham County, as opposed to just a single individual.
Flight The flight in NC, based on 27 records, is from mid-April to early June, if not slightly longer. The Georgia records fall between 24 April and 25 May (Giff Beaton's website).
Habitat Rivers and larger creeks with fast-flowing, clear water. The three bodies of water (Mayo and Dan rivers and Wilson Creek) where recently seen in NC are fast-flowing large creeks/small rivers.
Behavior Males are seldom seen except when perching on rocks in the rivers and streams. Dunkle (2000) says that the adults, at least males, spend most of their time high in trees.
Comments This species was considered to be of historical global occurrence (GH) until re-discovered in 1994 in the NC foothills. It has been searched for in the state in the Burke/Caldwell vicinity a few times since the discovery, but observers had met with failure until John Petranka found some numbers at two sites along Wilson Creek in Caldwell County, in May 2016. Of greater significance was Ed Corey's remarkable discovery of the species in Rockingham County in 2012, observing 16 individuals, photographing and collecting one to document this major range extension into the middle Piedmont. Other biologists have re-found this species there in recent years. In spring 2017, Brian Bockhahn and Kyle Kittelberger discovered a new location at the Dan River in Stokes County. With a global rank of G2, this may be globally the rarest dragonfly that occurs in NC. In fact, it ought to have been Federally listed as Endangered or Threatened already.
State Rank S1
State Status SR
Global Rank G2
Federal Status
Synonym
Other Name
Species account update: LeGrand on 2024-01-04 10:52:22
Photo Gallery for Edmund's Snaketail   24 photos are shown. Other NC Galleries:    Jeff Pippen    Will Cook    Ted Wilcox
EdmundPhoto 1 by: Kevin Metcalf

Comment: Stokes, 2023-05-12, Males - Hanging Rock SP - riffle area in the Dan River		EdmundPhoto 2 by: Kevin Metcalf

Comment: Stokes, 2023-05-12, Males - Hanging Rock SP - riffle area in the Dan River
EdmundPhoto 3 by: Richard Stickney

Comment: Rockingham, 2023-04-18, Mayo River at Anglin Mill Road bridge - Immature female		EdmundPhoto 4 by: Richard Stickney

Comment: Rockingham, 2023-04-18, Mayo River at Anglin Mill Road bridge - Immature female
EdmundPhoto 5 by: B. Bockhahn

Comment: Stokes, 2022-05-04, Hanging Rock State Park		EdmundPhoto 6 by: B. Bockhahn

Comment: Rockingham, 2022-04-29,
EdmundPhoto 7 by: B. Bockhahn

Comment: Rockingham, 2019-05-01, 5 below island 2, 2 in-between islands 1 and 2, 7 north of Anglin Mill Bridge		EdmundPhoto 8 by: Mark Shields and Hunter Phillips

Comment: Rockingham, 2018-05-13, Mayo River State Park (MARI) upstream from Anglin Mill Rd bridge and downstream from bridge - males perched on rocks in river
EdmundPhoto 9 by: Mike Boatwright

Comment: Rockingham, 2018-05-08, Observed above Anglin Mill Bridge and below the rapids near beach at intersection of Old Anglin Mill Loop and Mayo Beach Road - 3 males observed above the Anglin Mill Bridge, 4 observed below the rapids near beach at intersection of Old Anglin Mill Loop and Mayo Beach Road; first observed around 1015 hrs and seen off and on until at least 1600 hrs.		EdmundPhoto 10 by: Mike Boatwright

Comment: Rockingham, 2018-05-08, Observed above Anglin Mill Bridge and below the rapids near beach at intersection of Old Anglin Mill Loop and Mayo Beach Road - 3 males observed above the Anglin Mill Bridge, 4 observed below the rapids near beach at intersection of Old Anglin Mill Loop and Mayo Beach Road; first observed around 1015 hrs and seen off and on until at least 1600 hrs.
EdmundPhoto 11 by: Mike Boatwright

Comment: Rockingham, 2018-05-08, Observed above Anglin Mill Bridge and below the rapids near beach at intersection of Old Anglin Mill Loop and Mayo Beach Road - 3 males observed above the Anglin Mill Bridge, 4 observed below the rapids near beach at intersection of Old Anglin Mill Loop and Mayo Beach Road; first observed around 1015 hrs and seen off and on until at least 1600 hrs.		EdmundPhoto 12 by: Ezra Staengl

Comment: Rockingham, 2018-05-08, Mayo River ca. 100 meters below Mill Road Bridge 36.529658, -79.990521. iNaturalist record# 77826044 - male
EdmundPhoto 13 by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn

Comment: Stokes, 2017-05-03, Hanging Rock State Park - Moratock Park.		EdmundPhoto 14 by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn

Comment: Stokes, 2017-05-03, Hanging Rock State Park - Moratock Park.
EdmundPhoto 15 by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn

Comment: Stokes, 2017-05-03, Hanging Rock State Park - Moratock Park.		EdmundPhoto 16 by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn

Comment: Stokes, 2017-05-03, Hanging Rock State Park - Moratock Park.
EdmundPhoto 17 by: Brian Bockhahn

Comment: Rockingham, 2017-05-02, Mayo River State Park - 6 males, 1 female; 3 were above Anglin Mill Road bridge		EdmundPhoto 18 by: Brian Bockhahn

Comment: Rockingham, 2017-05-02, Mayo River State Park - 6 males, 1 female; 3 were above Anglin Mill Road bridge
EdmundPhoto 19 by: John Petranka

Comment: Caldwell, 2016-05-09, Wilson Creek at Brown Mountain Beach Resort. 5 males, 1 female. Photo.		EdmundPhoto 20 by: John Petranka

Comment: Caldwell, 2016-05-09, Wilson Creek at Brown Mountain Beach Resort. 5 males, 1 female. Photo.
EdmundPhoto 21 by: John Petranka

Comment: Rockingham, 2016-04-13, Old Anglin Loop Road alongside Mayo River; just south of Mayo River State Park. 2 males, 2 females. All yellowish immatures; no green on head or thorax. Photo.		EdmundPhoto 22 by: John Petranka

Comment: Rockingham, 2016-04-13, Old Anglin Loop Road alongside Mayo River; just south of Mayo River State Park. 2 males, 2 females. All yellowish immatures; no green on head or thorax. Photo.
EdmundPhoto 23 by: E. Corey

Comment: Rockingham, 2012-05-02, This species has a complete T3 stripe, whereas O. incurvatus only has a T3 stripe below the spiracle.		EdmundPhoto 24 by: E. Corey, B. Bockhahn

Comment: Rockingham, 2012-05-02, - mostly males, some patrolling riffles and runs