NC Odonate Website

Related Species in GOMPHIDAE:		Number of records for 2024 = 22
Added in 2024-00-00 from a previous year = 1 (2023-09-08)

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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 55 photos are available. Only the most recent 30 are shown.		Other NC Galleries: Jeff Pippen Will Cook Ted Wilcox
	Photo 1 by: Amy Padgett Comment: Bladen, 2024-07-22, Lock & Dam #2, Elizabethtown, NC - 11:54A near river bank		Photo 2 by: Travis McLain Comment: Cabarrus, 2024-07-17, At private pond SW of Concord. iNaturalist record #230324314 - male
	Photo 3 by: Amy Padgett Comment: Bladen, 2024-07-15, Lock & Dam #2, Elizabethtown, NC - Along the shore		Photo 4 by: Al Hooks Comment: Johnston; C, 2024-07-03, Spring Meadow Farm, a few miles north of Smithfield
	Photo 5 by: Al Hooks Comment: Montgomery, 2024-06-24, Uwharrie National Forest		Photo 6 by: Matt Spangler Comment: Chatham, 2023-09-08, Jordan Lake--New Hope Creek
	Photo 7 by: Mark Shields Comment: Onslow, 2023-07-19, retention pond, Coastal Carolina Community College, Jacksonville		Photo 8 by: Matt Spangler Comment: Chatham, 2023-07-16, Jordan Lake--Overcup Creek/Bush Creek coves
	Photo 9 by: Mark Shields, Hunter Phillips Comment: Bladen, 2023-07-07, White Lake; we circumnavigated the lake in kayaks		Photo 10 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 11 by: Kevin Metcalf Comment: Cabarrus, 2022-08-07, Male - Rob Wallace Park. Appears to be First record submitted for Cabarrus County.		Photo 12 by: Kevin Metcalf Comment: Mecklenburg, 2022-07-20, Mountain Island Lake, Latta Nature Preserve, Huntersillve
	Photo 13 by: George Andrews Comment: Mecklenburg, 2022-07-07, Mountain Island Lake, Neck Road kayak launch		Photo 14 by: David Woods Comment: Richmond; C, 2021-09-19, McKinney Lake. Boat launch parking area. - Female
	Photo 15 by: Bob Oberfelder Comment: Wake, 2021-08-03, - Seen Near the old Mill at Yates Mill Park		Photo 16 by: Dennis Hawkins Comment: Gaston, 2020-09-09, McAdenville, near junction of Main St. and Hickory Grove Dr.. iNaturalist record #59209420 - Female.
	Photo 17 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 18 by: Jan Hansen Comment: Chatham, 2020-08-13, Buckhorn Road power line cut near Buckhorn Creek
	Photo 19 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 20 by: Una Davenhill Comment: Currituck, 2020-07-26, Mackay Island National Wildlife Refuge
	Photo 21 by: C. Taunton Comment: Wake, 2020-07-12, NC Museum of Art grounds		Photo 22 by: Matt Spangler Comment: Chatham, 2020-07-05, Jordan Lake--Overcup Creek marsh
	Photo 23 by: Matt Spangler Comment: Chatham, 2020-07-05, Jordan Lake--interface between Bush Creek marsh and the lake		Photo 24 by: Matt Spangler Comment: Durham, 2019-08-15, Discovery Lake (EPA/NIH campus in RTP). Continuing male on same patch of territory.
	Photo 25 by: F. Williams, S. Williams Comment: Bertie, 2019-08-04, Salmon Creek State Natural Area		Photo 26 by: Mike Kosiewski Comment: Currituck, 2019-08-03, MacKay Island NWR. iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/30201918 - Male.
	Photo 27 by: Parker Backstrom Comment: Moore; C, 2019-06-15, Weymouth Woods Sandhills Nature Preserve		Photo 28 by: John Petranka, Sally Gewalt. Comment: Pender, 2018-08-25, Along Northeast Cape Fear River at Holly Shelter Boating Access. - Female.
	Photo 29 by: Robert Gilson Comment: Mecklenburg, 2018-07-04, Chris Talkington		Photo 30 by: Robert Gilson Comment: Mecklenburg, 2018-07-04, Chris Talkington