The Dragonflies and Damselflies of North Carolina
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North Carolina's 187 Odonate species
Common Name: Scientific Name:

Sort Species by: Family   Scientific Name       [ Undocumented ]
Related Species in GOMPHIDAE: Number of records added in 2020 = 3

PDF has more details,
e.g., flight data, high counts, and earliest/latest dates can be seen.
[View PDF]		Cobra Clubtail (Gomphurus vastus) by Mark Shields
Compare with: Blackwater Clubtail   Splendid Clubtail   Midland Clubtail   Septima's Clubtail   Cocoa 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.

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mapClick on county for list of all its records for Cobra Clubtail
distribution Widely scattered over the western two-thirds of the state, east barely into the western Coastal Plain. Interestingly, nearly all of the mountain and western Piedmont records have come in the past few years, suggesting a possible westward range expansion in the state, though most range maps show the species occurring over the majority of the eastern United States. Likely absent at middle and higher elevations in the mountains. A puzzling scarcity of records from the middle of this range in the state -- such as the central Piedmont -- though 2019 records for Caswell and Wilkes counties somewhat reduced this gap.
abundance Uncommon in the eastern Piedmont. Rare to locally uncommon elsewhere in the mountains and Piedmont, though can be numerous along the French Broad River in Madison and Buncombe counties. Very rare in the western part of the Coastal Plain, as well as in the southwestern mountains (where there are as yet no records).
flight Mostly early May to mid-July, with an early date of 20 April. A seemingly quite late record on 8 August is open to question, though there are now a number of records for mid-July.
habitat Breeds at rivers and large streams, where rocky or with riffles.

See also Habitat Account for Piedmont and General Rocky Rivers
behavior Males perch along the shore on the ground, or on rocks in the rivers. They may fly well out over the rivers.
comments This is a very striking species, quite black on the abdomen with very contrasting yellow markings. And, the male's club is very wide -- cobra-like, giving rise to the common name. Even so, there are a few other clubtails (such as Skillet, Splendid, and Blackwater) with wide clubs, and thus sight records must be made with care. Indeed, a few photos on this website have been re-evaluated by experts (in late 2016), and several photos reported as other species have been determined to be Cobra Clubtails by website editors/reviewers.
state_status
S_rank S3S4
fed_status
G_rank G5
date_spread [Overwinter:] [Date Spread:] [No Late Date:] [Split on Feb:] [Default:]
synonym Gomphus vastus
other_name
Species account update: LeGrand1234

Photo Gallery for Cobra Clubtail

 Other NC Galleries:    Jeff Pippen    Will Cook    Ted Wilcox
Photo by: p dixon

Comment: Madison, 2020-06-06, French Broad Hot Springs area		Photo by: B. Bockhahn, K. Kittelberger

Comment: Alleghany, 2020-06-03, NERI
Photo by: B. Bockhahn, K. Kittelberger

Comment: Alleghany, 2020-06-03, NERI		Photo by: B. Bockhahn, K. Kittelberger

Comment: Alleghany, 2020-06-03, NERI; photo by K. Kittelberger
Photo by: B. Bockhahn, K. Kittelberger

Comment: Alleghany, 2020-06-03, NERI; photo by K. Kittelberger		Photo by: B. Bockhahn, K. Kittelberger

Comment: Alleghany, 2020-06-03, NERI; photo by K. Kittelberger
Photo by: B. Bockhahn, K. Kittelberger

Comment: Alleghany, 2020-06-03, NERI; photo by K. Kittelberger		Photo by: Mike Turner

Comment: Wilkes; P, 2019-05-26, Lowe's Rivers Edge Park; Wilkesboro, NC
Photo by: Pete Dixon

Comment: Madison, 2019-05-13, River Road, Murray Branch Meadows		Photo by: Mike Turner

Comment: Yadkin, 2018-07-20, Pilot Mountain S.P.; river section
Photo by: Mike Turner

Comment: Alleghany, 2018-07-15, New River @ SR 1345 (Farmers Fish Camp Rd.)		Photo by: Mark Shields

Comment: Richmond; P, 2018-07-06, Pee Dee River; 2 km stretch upstream from Diggs Tract Access, by kayak - males. First record for county.
Photo by: Mark Shields

Comment: Anson, 2018-07-06, Pee Dee River; 2 km stretch upstream from Diggs Tract Access, by kayak		Photo by: Richard Stickney

Comment: Yadkin, 2018-06-24, Park at Yadkin River/NC 67 - all females
Photo by: Mike Turner

Comment: Yadkin, 2018-06-23, Pilot Mountain S.P.-Yadkin River Section		Photo by: Mike Turner

Comment: Surry, 2018-06-10, Crater Park, Yadkin River, Elkin
Photo by: Mike Turner

Comment: Surry, 2018-06-10, Crater Park, Yadkin River, Elkin		Photo by: Mike Turner

Comment: Alleghany, 2018-05-19, New River @ SR 1345 (Farmers Fish Camp Rd.) - all tenerals; at least 10 Gomphurus emerging but too young to be sure of species
Photo by: Mike Turner

Comment: Alleghany, 2018-05-19, New River @ SR 1345 (Farmers Fish Camp Rd.) - all tenerals; at least 10 Gomphurus emerging but too young to be sure of species		Photo by: Mike Turner

Comment: Alleghany, 2018-05-19, New River @ SR 1345 (Farmers Fish Camp Rd.) - all tenerals; at least 10 Gomphurus emerging but too young to be xure of species
Photo by: M. Turner, J. Daigle, T. Schoch, S. Daniel, K. Larsen

Comment: Harnett; C, 2018-05-10, Cape Fear River Trail; Erwin, NC - ad.males and teneral		Photo by: M. Turner, J. Daigle, T. Schoch, S. Daniel, K. Larsen

Comment: Harnett; C, 2018-05-10, Cape Fear River Trail; Erwin, NC - ad.males and teneral
Photo by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin

Comment: Madison, 2017-05-20, On concrete bridge at junction of the Ivy River and French Broad River.		Photo by: B. Bockhahn

Comment: Surry, 2017-05-17,
Photo by: Mark Shields, Hunter Phillips

Comment: Union, 2017-05-15, Rocky River at Randolph Landing, Rocky River Blueway Access and Nature Park		Photo by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin

Comment: Madison, 2016-07-12, Resting on a shrub along the French Broad River near Hot Springs.
Photo by: John Petranka, Jim Petranka

Comment: Ashe, 2016-05-23, New River State Park Wagoner Access; trail along river. Female. Photo.		Photo by: Janie Owens

Comment: Madison, 2015-06-18, Along French Broad River near Hot Springs - eating a Green-faced Clubtail
Photo by: Janie Owens

Comment: Madison, 2015-06-18, Along French Broad River near Hot Springs - eating a Green-faced Clubtail		Photo by: J. A. Anderson

Comment: Surry, 2015-06-14, PIMO
Photo by: Vin Stanton, Doug Johnston, Gail Lankford, Janie Owen

Comment: Madison, 2012-06-15, North of Hot Springs on River Road-French Broad River - Male		Photo by: Vin Stanton, Doug Johnston, Gail Lankford, Janie Owen

Comment: Madison, 2012-06-15, North of Hot Springs on River Road-French Broad River - Male
Photo by: Vin Stanton, Doug Johnston, Gail Lankford, Janie Owen

Comment: Madison, 2012-05-17, French Broad River, Pisgah National Forest - Female		Photo by: Vin Stanton

Comment: Buncombe, 2012-05-02, River park in Asheville - Male & Female
Photo by: Vin Stanton

Comment: Buncombe, 2012-05-02, River park in Asheville - Male & Female		Photo by: Vin Stanton

Comment: Buncombe, 2012-05-02, River park in Asheville - Male & Female
Photo by: Vin Stanton

Comment: Buncombe, 2011-06-14, imaged along French Broad River Northern Buncombe County		Photo by: Steve Hall

Comment: Montgomery, 2011-06-14, Uwharrie River
Photo by: Steve Hall

Comment: Montgomery, 2011-06-02, Uwharrie River		Photo by: Ali Iyoob, Matt Daw, Dan Irizarry

Comment: Madison, 2011-05-06, French Broad River
Photo by: Matthew Daw

Comment: Wake, 2009-06-02, FALA - Neuse River, approximately one mile below dam		Photo by: Beth Brinson

Comment: Surry, 2008-06-28, PIMO-YRSN - Female
Photo by: Beth Brinson

Comment: Yadkin, 2008-06-10, PIMO-Lower YRSS		Photo by: Ricky Davis

Comment: Haw River, 2007-05-26, male
Photo by: Ricky Davis

Comment: Chatham, 2007-05-26, male