NC Odonate Website

Related Species in CORDULIIDAE:

Number of records for 2025 = 1

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Slender Baskettail (Epitheca costalis) by Mark Shields

Compare with: Common Baskettail Mantled Baskettail Robust Baskettail
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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 Slender Baskettail

Flight Charts

Distribution

Primarily the Coastal Plain, though it does occur in the eastern and southeastern Piedmont and in the southern mountains. Likely present over other portions of the southern Piedmont between Montgomery and Polk counties. In fact, range maps in Dunkle (2000) and Beaton (2007) show that the species ought to occur over the entire state, except perhaps for the northern mountains! Thankfully, the range map in Paulson (2011) matches that of the range map for NC on this website.

Abundance

Generally uncommon in the Coastal Plain; much less numerous than the Common and Mantled baskettails within its Coastal Plain range. Very rare in the eastern Piedmont and southern mountains (and apparently absent elsewhere in these provinces). However, as the species is difficult to positively identify without hand examination, its true abundance is only speculation.

Flight

Spring season for the most part, but sparingly into early summer. In the Coastal Plain, the flight is from mid- or late March to early July, but it is most numerous in April and May. Interestingly, Duncan Cuyler's records for the Great Dismal Swamp area are only in June, from Camden County; but his records elsewhere in NC fall between April and July (Roble and Cuyler 1998). The meager data for the Piedmont fall between early April and early July, whereas those in the mountains fall between mid-May and mid-July. A 2018 record from 27 February was nearly a month earlier than the previous earliest date.

Habitat

Mainly at ponds or small lakes, rarely at slow-moving rivers.

See also Habitat Account for General Pond Shorelines

Behavior

Males patrol small territories around the pond margins. As with all baskettails, adults are more easily seen and studied when they are foraging or perching in an oblique manner on twigs a foot or two above ground along dirt roads and wide trails.

Comments

This species was formerly called the Stripe-winged Baskettail, but only a few females show the characteristic "named" dark bar on the leading edge of the wings. The species averages slightly longer than Common Baskettail, but it is best separated by the thinner abdomen that is narrowed near the thorax, giving a more spindle-shape to the abdomen. The species can easily be confused in the field with Common Baskettail, and thus observers are likely either overlooking this less common species or are reluctant to submit sight reports for it. In fact, the website editors determined (in late 2016) that one to several previous photos on this website were actually of Common Baskettails and not Slender Baskettails.

State Rank

State Status

Global Rank

Federal Status

Synonym

Other Name

Stripe-winged Baskettail

Species account update: LeGrand on 2023-01-11 12:48:24

The Dragonflies and Damselflies of North Carolina
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Photo Gallery for Slender Baskettail 24 photos are shown.		Other NC Galleries: Jeff Pippen Will Cook Ted Wilcox
	Photo 1 by: SR Myers Comment: Buncombe, 2025-06-16, Found dead at the North Carolina Arboretum, Asheville, 35.49754, -82.60823 - Male		Photo 2 by: SR Myers Comment: Buncombe, 2025-06-16, Found dead at the North Carolina Arboretum, Asheville, 35.49754, -82.60823 - Male
	Photo 3 by: SR Myers Comment: Buncombe, 2025-06-16, Found dead at the North Carolina Arboretum, Asheville, 35.49754, -82.60823 - Male		Photo 4 by: Lucas Wilson Comment: Richmond; C, 2024-05-08, - Richmond. 05-08-2024, Indian Camp Lake
	Photo 5 by: Kevin Metcalf Comment: Mecklenburg, 2024-04-16, Buckeye Cove Nature Preserve, Huntersville; First Mecklenburg County Record - male		Photo 6 by: Kevin Metcalf Comment: Mecklenburg, 2024-04-16, Buckeye Cove Nature Preserve, Huntersville; First Mecklenburg County Record - male
	Photo 7 by: Kevin Metcalf Comment: Mecklenburg, 2024-04-16, Buckeye Cove Nature Preserve, Huntersville; First Mecklenburg County Record - male		Photo 8 by: Mark Shields Comment: Carteret, 2021-04-12, Ponds along Patsy Pond Nature Trail, Croatan National Forest
	Photo 9 by: Jeffrey Pippen Comment: Durham, 2020-05-10		Photo 10 by: Jeffrey Pippen Comment: Durham, 2020-05-10
	Photo 11 by: Mark Shields, Hunter Phillips Comment: Polk; M, 2019-05-13, Green River Game Land at Fishtop Access. First record for county.		Photo 12 by: Mark Shields, Hunter Phillips Comment: Polk; M, 2019-05-13, Green River Game Land at Fishtop Access. First record for county.
	Photo 13 by: Mark Shields, Hunter Phillips Comment: Scotland, 2019-04-22, Scotland Lake, Sandhills Game Land		Photo 14 by: John Petranka, Sally Gewalt Comment: Carteret, 2019-04-03, Croatan National Forest. Along Patsy Pond Green and Blue trails. - 4 males and 5 females, including one pair in wheel. Most were perched 18 inches or less above ground. - female.
	Photo 15 by: John Petranka, Sally Gewalt Comment: Carteret, 2019-04-03, Croatan National Forest. Along Patsy Pond Green and Blue trails. - 4 males and 5 females, including this pair in wheel. Most were perched 18 inches or less above ground.		Photo 16 by: John Petranka, Sally Gewalt Comment: Carteret, 2019-04-03, Croatan National Forest. Along Patsy Pond Green and Blue trails. - 4 males and 5 females, including one pair in wheel. Most were perched 18 inches or less above ground. - male lateral view.
	Photo 17 by: Mark Shields Comment: Brunswick, 2018-05-11, Spring Lake Park, Boiling Spring Lakes - female ovipositing		Photo 18 by: Mark Shields Comment: Carteret, 2018-04-18, Ponds along Patsy Pond Nature Trail, Croatan National Forest - male
	Photo 19 by: Mark Shields and Hunter Phillips Comment: Brunswick, 2018-04-02, Boiling Spring Lakes Preserve Nature Trail		Photo 20 by: Mark Shields Comment: Carteret, 2018-02-27, Ponds along Patsy Pond Nature Trail, Croatan National Forest - male, recently emerged
	Photo 21 by: Mark Shields Comment: Onslow, 2016-04-10, female with dark stripes on leading edge of wings, my property, Holly Ridge		Photo 22 by: Mark Shields Comment: Onslow, 2016-04-08, Stones Creek Game Land - male
	Photo 23 by: Mark Shields Comment: Onslow, 2016-04-08, Stones Creek Game Land - male		Photo 24 by: Mark Shields Comment: Carteret, 2016-03-29, female, pond along Patsy Pond Nature Trail, Croatan National Forest