Fauna
Insect

Common Clubtail

Gomphus vulgatissimus

Also known as Common Club-tailed Dragonfly

Common Clubtails are yellow-green and black dragonflies with separated eyes and a noticeably widened end to the abdomen. Their burrowing aquatic larvae develop in flowing water before adults patrol sunny riverbanks and nearby clearings.

clubtail dragonflyriver insectaerial predator
Common Clubtail reference1 / 7
(c) Dimitǎr Boevski, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
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Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & preyMidges, flies, aquatic insect larvae
Predators
  • birds
  • frogs
  • larger dragonflies
ThreatsRiver pollution, channel engineering, dredging, sediment change, pesticides, and bank disturbance
HabitatsClean slow rivers, larger streams, sandy banks, floodplain meadows, and nearby woodland rides
Life spanAdults live for several weeks, while aquatic development takes two to four years
Classification
  1. FamilyGomphidae
  2. SpeciesGomphus vulgatissimus
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Avoid netting adults or entering soft river margins where larvae and emerging insects occur.
Responsible observation
  • Identify: Note widely separated eyes and the clubbed tip of the black-marked abdomen.
  • Watch: Scan sunny bare ground and low riverside perches for resting adults.
Related species

Related species have not been added yet.

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