rusty snaketail

(Ophiogomphus rupinsulensis)

Conservation Status
rusty snaketail
Photo by Dan W. Andree
  IUCN Red List

LC - Least Concern

     
  NatureServe

N5 - Secure

SNR - Unranked

     
  Minnesota

not listed

     
           
           
           
 
Description
 
 

Rusty snaketail is a medium-sized dragonfly. The thorax is bright green. There are two thin, brown shoulder stripes on each side but no bold stripes — the lateral and mid-frontal stripes are reduced and inconspicuous.

The abdomen of the male is slender, yellow above, and rusty brown on the sides. There is a thin, white, snake-like stripe near the bottom (sublaterally) on each side. The undulating white stripe gives this genus the name “snaketails”. There are no distinct top spots. There are black V-shaped markings or blotches on abdominal segments 7 through 10. Segments 8, 9, and 10 are expanded into a noticeable “club”. The female is similarly colored but duller.

The face is green. The large compound eyes are yellowish-green to bluish-green on the male, brownish on the female. They do not meet at the top of the head. The area behind the compound eyes at the top of the head (occiput) is bright green.

The wings are clear except for dark stigmas. The wing triangle, a section of intersecting veins about 20% of the way from the base to the wingtip, is about the same size on the forewing and the hindwing.

The legs are black, relatively short, and have yellow longitudinal stripes.

 
     
 

Size

 
 

Total length: 1¾ to 2

 
     
 

Similar Species

 
  Common green darner (Anax junius) is much larger. The eyes meet at the top of the head.  
     
 
Habitat
 
 

Silty rivers and large silty streams with moderately fast current.

 
     
 
Biology
 
 

Season

 
 

Mid-May to mid-August

 
     
 

Behavior

 
 

 

 
     
 

Life Cycle

 
 

 

 
     
 

Naiad Food

 
 

 

 
     
 

Adult Food

 
 

 

 
     
 
Distribution
 
 

Distribution Map

 

Sources

17, 24, 29, 30.

 
  1/28/2018      
         
 

Occurrence

 
 

Widespread and fairly common

 
         
 
Taxonomy
 
 

Order

Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies)  
 

Suborder

Epiprocta  
  Infraorder Anisoptera (dragonflies)  
 

Superfamily

Aeshnoidea  
 

Family

Gomphidae (clubtails)  
 

Genus

Ophiogomphus  
       
 

Synonyms

 
 

Ophiogomphus carolinus

 
       
 

Common Names

 
 

rusty snaketail

 
       

 

 

 

 

 

 

Glossary

Occiput

The back of the head. In Odonata, Megaloptera, and Neuroptera, the upper part of the head behind the eyes.

 

Stigma

In plants, the portion of the female part of the flower that is receptive to pollen. In Lepidoptera, an area of specialized scent scales on the forewing of some skippers, hairstreaks, and moths. In other insects, a thickened, dark, or opaque cell on the leading edge of the wing.

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
Visitor Photos
 
           
 

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Dan W. Andree

 
 

An adult male Rusty Snaketail dragonfly.

 
    rusty snaketail      
           
 
MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos
 
 

 

 
           
           

 

Camera

     
 
Slideshows
 
Rusty Snaketail
Bonnie Ott
  Rusty Snaketail  
Rusty Snaketail (Ophiogomphus rupinsulensis)
Steve Collins
  Rusty Snaketail (Ophiogomphus rupinsulensis)  
Rusty Snaketail
Ryan Rasmussen
  Rusty Snaketail  
     

 

slideshow

       
 
Visitor Videos
 
       
 

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Dan W. Andree

 
  "Rusty Snaketail Dragonfly"
7/29/2017
 
   
 
About

Published on Jul 29, 2017

A quick look at both adult male and female Rusty Snaketail dragonfly. I found them to be a colorful and interesting dragonfly around 2 inches in length.

Though I approached them slowly and quietly they almost seemed curious of what I was - or was going to do. Enjoyed filming them. They seemed to have an almost curious friendly character. Added some background music.

   
       
       
 
Other Videos
 
     
     
     
       

 

Camcorder

 
 
Visitor Sightings
 
           
 

Report a sighting of this insect.

 
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  Dan W. Andree
2017

Location: Norman County, MN

An adult male Rusty Snaketail dragonfly.

rusty snaketail  
           
 
MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings
 
 

 

 

 

 

Binoculars


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