COBRA CLUBTAIL

Cobra Clubtails live near large rivers. I have found several Cobras along the Great Miami River in Miamisburg, Franklin, Middletown, and at Taylorsville MetroPark. 

This is a Cobra Clubtail - one of the coolest dragonfly names ever. This species gets its name from the wide club, which resembles a cobra's hood. 

The most important identifying feature for a Cobra Clubtail is actually not the club. It is the thick, black facial stripe. This stripe will easily distinguish a Cobra from its closest look-alike species, Skillet and Midland, both of which have unmarked faces. 

Another female Cobra Clubtail. Females have wide clubs, although not as wide as the males. Cobra Clubtails fly from late May through early August. My extreme early and late dates are May 20th and August 5th. But they become scarce after June. 

Cobra Clubtail - all black on the top of S8 & S9. 

Midland Clubtail - yellow triangle on the top of S8.

Handsome Clubtail - yellow spots on the top of S8 and S9. 

This is a female Cobra Clubtail, showing off her black facial stripe.  Also, notice that the stripes on the thorax are thin and angled. A Splendid or Skillet Clubtail would have thicker, parallel stripes on the front of the thorax. 

Cobra Clubtail. Notice that the top of the club (Segments 8 and 9) is all black. A Midland Clubtail would have a small yellow triangle on the top of S8. Also, notice that the spot on the side of Segment 8 is a very small square. A Splendid Clubtail would have a larger yellow spot on the side of S8. 

A female Cobra Clubtail with an egg mass beneath her abdomen. 

Cobra Clubtails love perching on light-colored rocks. They also perch in vegetation, or take refuge in trees when disturbed. 

Teneral Cobra Clubtail, with its wings pressed together. 

Teneral Cobra Clubtail, with its wings newly opened. Cobras have a mass emergence in late May. If you are lucky enough to be on the river on the right day, you can see many tenerals emerging. I saw dozens on the morning of May 23, 2021. 

Mature Cobra Clubtails, like this one, have green eyes. Newly-emerged individuals, like the one above, have brownish-gray eyes. 

This Cobra Clubtail was resting on a hops vine leaf, at Crain's Run Park south of Miamisburg.