Cypress Clubtail

Phanogomphus minutus

The Cypress Clubtail is a special dragonfly that loves to live near water. It has beautiful yellow and black stripes and can be seen flying around ponds and streams during warm days.

Habitat: Wetlands

Appearance

The Cypress Clubtail is a small dragonfly with a dark body, primarily blackish-brown, marked with bright yellow stripes and spots. It has striking green eyes. Males possess a distinctive, flared, club-like abdomen tip, differentiating it from other clubtails.

KingdomAnimaliaPhylumArthropodaClassInsectaOrderOdonataFamilyGomphidaeGenusPhanogomphus

Cypress Clubtail

Interesting facts

Adult male Clubtails perform aerial dances to impress females during mating rituals!

Cypress Clubtails are tiny environmental detectives, indicating healthy, clean water!

Larvae live underwater for years before transforming into an amazing adult!

Named for loving swampy cypress habitats, where they hunt and rest!

Special abilities

Cypress Clubtail can fly incredibly fast and change direction instantly, thanks to powerful wing muscles that help them hunt mid-air.

Cypress Clubtail larvae have a special 'hinged jaw' that shoots out to grab small prey because of its unique labium.

Cypress Clubtail larvae can perfectly blend into the riverbed or pond bottom because of their muted colors and flattened bodies, helping them hide from predators.

Measurements & details

Wingspan: 50-70 mm
Size: 32-40 mm
Lifespan: 30-90 days
Flight Speed: 30-40 km/h
Leg Count: 6

Diet & Feeding

This dragonfly is an aerial hunter, preying on many small insects both in the air and underwater!

Age differences: Larvae hunt aquatic invertebrates underwater; adults hunt flying insects in the air.

Primary Foods

mosquitos
flies
gnats
small moths
aquatic insect larvae

Foraging Method

Pursuit

Ecological connections

hunts

Common Malaria Mosquito

Anopheles quadrimaculatus

Adults hunt these flying insects.

eaten by

Southern Leopard Frog

Lithobates sphenocephalus

Adults and larvae can be eaten by frogs.

depends on

Bald Cypress

Taxodium distichum

Provides essential perching and habitat in swampy areas.

eaten by

Prothonotary Warbler

Protonotaria citrea

Insectivorous birds prey on adult dragonflies.

Traits

Striped

Marked with parallel bands or lines of color.

Solitary

Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care.

Aerial

Aerial creatures spend a significant portion of their lives airborne, utilizing flight for various activities such as hunting, migration, or nesting.

Colorful

Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.

Insectivorous

This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates.

Wetland

This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs.