Ashy Clubtail Dragonfly

Description:

This dragonfly is an early spring species. It is darker than many of our other clubtails, with little color on the abdomen. The face is pale green without dark stripes and the vertex is brown. The thorax is grayish-green with a parallel-sided middorsal thoracic stripe. The antehumeral and humeral stripes are fused, with the former sometimes free at its upper end. Occasionally, a thin, interrupted yellowish line is visible between them. The mid- and third lateral stripes are confluent and faint brown lateral stripe often present at the rear edge of thorax. The legs are brownish throughout with a yellow line externally on the tibiae. The abdomen is largely black with a thin pale yellow middorsal line nearly continuous on the middle segments. Segments 8 and 9 are only slightly enlarged in the male and have relatively little yellow dorsally. Segment 10 is brownish-yellow and the male caudal appendages are black. This species is distinctive because of its slender form, pale color and the lack of contrasting markings.

Habitat:

Habitat is sand or mud-bottomed streams and rivers with moderate current; sheltered inlets and bays of lakes. Range is Eastern U.S. from Ontario to Florida and Texas. This one was spotted at Stevens Creek Heritage Preserve near Clarks Hill (McCormick County), South Carolina.

Notes:

This spotting is an Odonata Central record for the species for McCormick County, SC