# Olive Clubtail (*Stylurus olivaceus*) The Olive Clubtail is a special dragonfly with a long, slender body and beautiful olive-green colors. They love to fly around near water and are great at catching insects in the air! - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![Olive Clubtail](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Stylurus_olivaceus_kerz_44988912.jpg&width=800) Photo: Chris R., CC0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Stylurus_olivaceus_kerz_44988912.jpg) ## Appearance The Olive Clubtail has a distinctive olive-green thorax and a dark abdomen with yellowish stripes. Its namesake 'club' refers to the widened segments at the end of its abdomen, making it visually distinct from many other slender dragonflies. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Odonata - **Family:** Gomphidae - **Genus:** Stylurus ## Interesting facts - Adults catch flying insects using their spiky legs like a net while flying incredibly fast! - Dragonflies like the Olive Clubtail are ancient, flying the Earth even before dinosaurs roamed! - Its underwater larva can live for years, breathing with gills before transforming into an adult! - They are great indicators of healthy, clean freshwater ecosystems because of their sensitive larvae! ## Special abilities - **Super Sight:** Olive Clubtail has incredible wrap-around compound eyes that help them spot tiny prey and predators from almost any direction. - **Aerial Acrobatics:** Olive Clubtail can hover, fly backward, and turn on a dime because of its independently controlled wings, allowing precise aerial hunting. - **Stealthy Hunter:** Olive Clubtail has an olive-green body that helps them blend perfectly with riparian vegetation, making them nearly invisible. ## Measurements & details - **Wingspan:** 60-85 mm - **Size:** 40-55 mm - **Lifespan:** 30-90 days - **Flight Speed:** 30-50 km/h - **Leg Count:** 6 ## Diet & Feeding A fierce aerial hunter, it munches on smaller insects it snatches from the sky. - **Age differences:** Larvae hunt aquatic invertebrates like tadpoles and insect larvae; adults eat flying insects. - **Primary Foods:** mosquitoes, flies, midges, moths - **Foraging Method:** Pursuit ## Ecological connections - **Hunts:** Common Mosquito (*Culex pipiens*) — adults actively hunt them in flight - **Eaten by:** [American Bullfrog](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-bullfrog) (*Lithobates catesbeianus*) — adults are prey for this amphibian - **Eaten by:** [Largemouth Bass](https://www.snappit.app/explore/largemouth-bass) (*Micropterus salmoides*) — larvae are a food source for fish ## Traits - [Camouflaged](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/camouflaged): Camouflaged describes organisms that possess coloring or patterns that allow them to blend into their environment. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Insectivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/insectivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates. - [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/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. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Freshwater](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/freshwater): Freshwater habitats include non-saline aquatic environments such as rivers, lakes, ponds, and wetlands, vital for numerous species. - [Speedster](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/speedster): This trait identifies organisms that exhibit exceptional swiftness in movement for hunting, escape, or travel. - [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants. ## Collections - [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/insects) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Dragonflies are not dangerous, but it's best to watch them from a distance. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Olive Clubtail? Compare wing shape and resting posture, where the eyes sit, body markings and the tail segments. Males and females can look very different in color. Dragonfly Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### What is Olive Clubtail's wingspan? 60-85 mm ### How big is Olive Clubtail? 40-55 mm ### How long does Olive Clubtail live? 30-90 days ### How fast can Olive Clubtail fly? 30-50 km/h ### What does Olive Clubtail eat? A fierce aerial hunter, it munches on smaller insects it snatches from the sky. ### Where is Olive Clubtail usually found? Wetlands ### How does Olive Clubtail hunt? Pursuit ## Where to spot - [Blue Lake Regional Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/blue-lake-regional-park) — Oregon, US · Park ## More Insects - [Common Eastern Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*) - [Spotted Lanternfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spotted-lanternfly) (*Lycorma delicatula*) - [Brown-belted Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-belted-bumble-bee) (*Bombus griseocollis*) - [Eastern Carpenter Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-carpenter-bee) (*Xylocopa virginica*) --- Source: [Olive Clubtail: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/olive-clubtail)