NC Odonate Website

Related Species in GOMPHIDAE:

Number of records for 2023 = 15

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Two-striped Forceptail (Aphylla williamsoni) by Mark Shields

Compare with: Russet-tipped Clubtail Southeastern Spinyleg
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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 Two-striped Forceptail

Flight Charts

Distribution

Formerly (prior to 2005), mainly just the lower half of the Coastal Plain. However, in the past handful of years the range is expanding westward rapidly, west currently to Guilford and Lincoln counties. Thus, now it is scattered over nearly all of the Coastal Plain and the southeastern Piedmont. In fact, in 2020, a remarkable five new counties were added to the range map, several in the Coastal Plain filling holes in the range there (Bladen and Currituck), but several in the Piedmont expanding the western edge of the range (Durham, Chatham, Guilford, and Gaston). Beaton (2007) states that in GA it is "rare above [the Fall Line] but expanding into the middle Piedmont". It is certainly expanding its range inland (westward) in NC, as well; Cuyler never collected the species farther west than Pitt and Pender counties.

Abundance

Clearly increasing in recent years. Formerly scarce (rare to uncommon) and limited almost solely to the Tidewater counties. Now it occurs essentially throughout the Coastal Plain and southeastern Piedmont, where uncommon and a bit local, but formerly it was nearly absent in these areas. In fact, the species has been recorded now at many lakes and ponds in Wake County alone, and two of the three highest one-day counts have been in Piedmont counties.

Flight

The flight periods in both the Coastal Plain and Piedmont are very similar -- mid-June to mid-September. A new early date in 2022 was 6 June, in the eastern Piedmont.

Habitat

Vicinity of ponds and lakes, as well as canals, especially muck- or peat-bottom ones. These waters can be somewhat disturbed and not "high-quality", and many or most are in full sun.

Behavior

May perch on the ground near a pond, or on vegetation around a pond. Most often seen at ponds and small lakes.

Comments

Because Cuyler never collected the species in NC farther inland than Hertford, Bertie, and Pitt counties, it is certain that these farther western records represent a recent inland expansion of the range. The range is still spotty, in that there are many Wake County records but very few from the Sandhills or the adjacent counties to the east (e.g., Robeson, Sampson, etc.). There is also a near lack of recent records for the northeastern counties (east of Gates, Bertie, and Craven), though a 2020 record came from coastal Currituck County. A number of records have been made from canoes and kayaks, on large ponds and lakes, less so along rivers.

State Rank

S3S4

State Status

Global Rank

Federal Status

Synonym

Other Name

Species account update: LeGrand on 2023-01-09 15:16:01

The Dragonflies and Damselflies of North Carolina
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Photo Gallery for Two-striped Forceptail 49 photos are available. Only the most recent 30 are shown.		Other NC Galleries: Jeff Pippen Will Cook Ted Wilcox
	Photo 1 by: Matt Spangler Comment: Chatham, 2023-09-08, Jordan Lake--New Hope Creek		Photo 2 by: Mark Shields Comment: Onslow, 2023-07-19, retention pond, Coastal Carolina Community College, Jacksonville
	Photo 3 by: Matt Spangler Comment: Chatham, 2023-07-16, Jordan Lake--Overcup Creek/Bush Creek coves		Photo 4 by: Mark Shields, Hunter Phillips Comment: Bladen, 2023-07-07, White Lake; we circumnavigated the lake in kayaks
	Photo 5 by: Charles Williams, Laura Williams Comment: Guilford, 2022-08-10, Neighborhood retention pond 10:21 AM at 36.172589, -79.793835 - Retention pond near woods, lake, and wetland reserve 10:21 AM at 36.172589, -79.793835		Photo 6 by: Kevin Metcalf Comment: Cabarrus, 2022-08-07, Male - Rob Wallace Park. Appears to be First record submitted for Cabarrus County.
	Photo 7 by: Kevin Metcalf Comment: Mecklenburg, 2022-07-20, Mountain Island Lake, Latta Nature Preserve, Huntersillve		Photo 8 by: George Andrews Comment: Mecklenburg, 2022-07-07, Mountain Island Lake, Neck Road kayak launch
	Photo 9 by: David Woods Comment: Richmond; C, 2021-09-19, McKinney Lake. Boat launch parking area. - Female		Photo 10 by: Bob Oberfelder Comment: Wake, 2021-08-03, - Seen Near the old Mill at Yates Mill Park
	Photo 11 by: Dennis Hawkins Comment: Gaston, 2020-09-09, McAdenville, near junction of Main St. and Hickory Grove Dr.. iNaturalist record #59209420 - Female.		Photo 12 by: Richard Stickney Comment: Chatham, 2020-08-31, Cape Fear River landing at end of Buckhorn Road - 3 females and 1 male along paths and on bank
	Photo 13 by: Jan Hansen Comment: Chatham, 2020-08-13, Buckhorn Road power line cut near Buckhorn Creek		Photo 14 by: Alex Worm Comment: Bladen, 2020-07-27, Jones Lake SP at the swimming beach. Originally posted on iNaturalist https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/54521098 - Male.
	Photo 15 by: Una Davenhill Comment: Currituck, 2020-07-26, Mackay Island National Wildlife Refuge		Photo 16 by: C. Taunton Comment: Wake, 2020-07-12, NC Museum of Art grounds
	Photo 17 by: Matt Spangler Comment: Chatham, 2020-07-05, Jordan Lake--Overcup Creek marsh		Photo 18 by: Matt Spangler Comment: Chatham, 2020-07-05, Jordan Lake--interface between Bush Creek marsh and the lake
	Photo 19 by: Matt Spangler Comment: Durham, 2019-08-15, Discovery Lake (EPA/NIH campus in RTP). Continuing male on same patch of territory.		Photo 20 by: F. Williams, S. Williams Comment: Bertie, 2019-08-04, Salmon Creek State Natural Area
	Photo 21 by: Mike Kosiewski Comment: Currituck, 2019-08-03, MacKay Island NWR. iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/30201918 - Male.		Photo 22 by: Parker Backstrom Comment: Moore; C, 2019-06-15, Weymouth Woods Sandhills Nature Preserve
	Photo 23 by: John Petranka, Sally Gewalt. Comment: Pender, 2018-08-25, Along Northeast Cape Fear River at Holly Shelter Boating Access. - Female.		Photo 24 by: Robert Gilson Comment: Mecklenburg, 2018-07-04, Chris Talkington
	Photo 25 by: Robert Gilson Comment: Mecklenburg, 2018-07-04, Chris Talkington		Photo 26 by: Mike Turner Comment: Edgecombe, 2017-08-04, Tarboro, Etheridge Pond; 35.8699, -77.5279 - adult male
	Photo 27 by: Mark Shields Comment: Lenoir, 2017-08-01, Neuseway Nature Park, Kinston		Photo 28 by: Conrad Wernett Comment: Lee, 2017-07-29, - Watson Lake in Broadway
	Photo 29 by: Mark Shields Comment: Onslow, 2017-07-14, New River, from confluence of Blue Creek to 6 km upstream, by kayak - most were perched in mats of Alligator-weed. First record for county.		Photo 30 by: George Andrews Comment: Lincoln, 2017-07-12, Catawba River, 1.25 miles south of Cowan's Ford Dam, west bank - Female, plucked from river