April 28th, 2012. We stopped by Whitetail Lake in the Clybel Wildlife Management Area – Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center to see which dragonflies were out. There were the usual suspects: Common Whitetails (Libellula lydia), Slaty Skimmers (Libellula incesta) and Eastern Amberwings (Perithemis tenera). Then there were a couple of dragonflies that blended into the background of the grass along the edge of the pond. It was difficult to keep track of them but…
They had a couple of favorite places along the pond shore to which they returned repeatedly. Can you see this one? A little to the left of center. It’s pretty clear why it was difficult to keep track of them.
A closer view, in the same location. It looked, at first glimpse, like an Ashy Clubtail (Gomphus lividus). Then I got a couple of good shots when one flew to…
vegetation further along the shore, and then to…
a log where I could get better shots. I finally identified this as a Cocoa Clubtail (Gomphus hybridus).
The markings on the thorax and abdomen of the Ashy and Cocoa clubtails are very similar. The colors of the Cocoa Clubtail are brighter than the Ashy Clubtail. These clubtails also differ in that the abdomen of the Ashy Clubtail taper to the terminal tip whereas the terminal end of the abdomen of the Cocoa Clubtail is swollen. Cocoa Clubtails are not common but found in counties in middle and north Georgia from late March to mid June. The relative rarity of this clubtail may be due, in part, to it not being noticed because it blends into its background so well.
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Identification resources:
Dragonflies and Damselflies (Odonata) of Georgia
- Cocoa Clubtail (Gomphus hybridus)
- Ashy Clubtail (Gomphus lividus)
BugGuide:
