North Carolina's 189 Odonate species

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Related Species in CORDULIIDAE: Number of records for 2024 = 0

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Umber Shadowdragon (Neurocordulia obsoleta) by Richard Stickney
Compare with: Smoky Shadowdragon   Alabama Shadowdragon   Stygian Shadowdragon   Cinnamon Shadowdragon  
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 to both sexes. Female depicted here.

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Map
Click on county for list of all its records for Umber Shadowdragon
Flight Charts
Distribution Occurs over nearly all of the Piedmont and Coastal Plain, though the range is spotty near the Blue Ridge Escarpment counties and in the extreme eastern Coastal Plain, where possibly absent in a few coastal counties along the Outer Banks. No records for the mountains. The full range of the species is more northerly than most other shadowdragons, extending to Maine.
Abundance Because of its crepuscular habits, abundance is poorly known, but based on the fact that it has been recorded from the majority of Piedmont and Coastal Plain counties within its range -- thanks mainly to older efforts by Duncan Cuyler -- and with about 145 records with dates available, it is certainly not scarce. Likely uncommon to fairly common in much of its range in NC, though Dunkle (2000) calls it "uncommon" over its range, and Beaton (2007) calls it "probably uncommon to rare" in GA.
Flight The flight periods in both the Coastal Plain and the Piedmont are similar -- late April to late July or early August.
Habitat Rivers, typically large and clean; less often at creeks.

See also Habitat Account for General Rivers and Large Streams
Behavior As with all shadowdragons, adults hang from twigs and vegetation in the forest shade during the day, and emerge to fly only in the last hour of daylight. Males prefer to fly patrols over riffles in the rivers.
Comments It is surprising that such a secretive dragonfly could be recorded in NC from so many counties -- 55 in total. This is especially striking in comparison with the relatively few county records from neighboring states -- 2 in GA, 4 in SC, and 10 in VA (as of 2016 on the OdonataCentral website map). This must represent intense collecting effort on the part of Duncan Cuyler or others, as it would seem unlikely to be much more numerous in NC than in VA, for example, as the range of the species is centered on these two states.
State Rank S4
State Status
Global Rank G5
Federal Status
Synonym
Other Name
Species account update: LeGrand on 2021-12-27 15:35:13

Photo Gallery for Umber Shadowdragon   16 photos are shown. Other NC Galleries:    Jeff Pippen    Will Cook    Ted Wilcox
Photo 1 by: Matt Spangler

Comment: Chatham, 2021-06-13, Haw River/Jordan Lake interface near Robeson Creek - exuviae collected
Photo 2 by: Matt Spangler

Comment: Chatham, 2021-06-12, Haw River--Bynum Dam - exuviae collected near where adults were seen flying
Photo 3 by: Matt Spangler

Comment: Chatham, 2021-06-12, Haw River--Bynum Dam - exuviae collected near where adults were seen flying
Photo 4 by: Richard Stickney

Comment: Durham, 2020-05-23, Penny's Bend - flying and perching in field at midday
Photo 5 by: Ami Thompson

Comment: Nash, 2020-04-05, Tar River within Battle Park in Rocky Mount - F-0 nymph was collected on April 5th, it was kept and reared and emerged on April 15th
Photo 6 by: Ami Thompson

Comment: Nash, 2020-04-05, Tar River within Battle Park in Rocky Mount - F-0 nymph was collected on April 5th, it was kept and reared and emerged on April 15th
Photo 7 by: Ami Thompson

Comment: Nash, 2020-04-05, Tar River within Battle Park in Rocky Mount - F-0 nymph was collected on April 5th, it was kept and reared and emerged on April 15th
Photo 8 by: Mike Turner and Randy Emmitt

Comment: Chatham, 2018-05-05, White Pines Nature Preserve
Photo 9 by: Conrad Wernett, Alyssa Wernett

Comment: Columbus, 2017-05-28, - Male flushed from underbrush and respotted below spillway of Lake Waccamaw
Photo 10 by: Conrad Wernett

Comment: Onslow, 2017-05-26, - Cowhorn Creek landing.
Photo 11 by: Conrad Wernett, Alyssa Wernett

Comment: Onslow, 2017-05-19, - Cowhorn Creek landing. More then five seen, a female and male flying separate netted at the same time.
Photo 12 by: Conrad Wernett, Alyssa Wernett

Comment: Onslow, 2017-05-18, - 1 male, 1 female confirmed, several others seen but unable to get positive ID at Cowhorn Creek Landing.
Photo 13 by: Richard Stickney

Comment: Durham, 2016-04-26, Penny's Bend
Photo 14 by: Mike Turner

Comment: Wake, 2014-06-02, Lake Raleigh
Photo 15 by: Lori Owenby

Comment: Catawba, 2010-06-22, Riverbend Park - Came to mercury vapor light/sheet set up for moths
Photo 16 by: R. Emmitt

Comment: Orange, 2010-05-09. Eno River State Park