Look out for Common Clubtail

March 2015

Paul Paul Ritchie

The Common Clubtail is The Common Clubtail is a We need your help to an uncommon dragonfly difficult species to study, due change this! to its unusual life cycle and In Montgomeryshire, it little work has been done in Read on to find out is found in the River Montgomeryshire to assess more and contact: the population status of the Severn between species. Records of the Tammy Stretton Newtown and the species in the area are few English border, as well Conservation Officer and consequently we have [email protected] as the lower reaches of little idea how they are doing 01938 555654 the Vyrnwy. or where the best areas are.

About the species After emergence, when the cases’ which are left behind wings are hardened enough for when the dragonfly emerges flight, tenerals move away from and are quite distinctive in this the river bank, to distances of species. Also, the very early up to 10 kilometres, to feed in season of its emergence makes sheltered areas of woodland it almost certain that any and scrub. Once sexually dragonfly exuviae found will mature, they return to the river belong to this species. to mate and lay eggs, the

females dipping their abdomen into the water of slow-flowing

CCW river sections whilst in flight.

The Common Clubtail is restricted to mature stretches of seven British river systems; Thames, Arun (Sussex), Wye, Dee, Tywi, Teifi and Severn. The adult Common Clubtail The 2008 Red List of British (Gomphus vulgatissimus) is a Odonata lists the Common medium-sized dragonfly with a Clubtail as ‘Near Threatened’. It black and yellow-green colour is still very abundant at some pattern. When freshly emerged sites, sometimes occurring in (teneral), the wings have a very large populations where distinctly ‘soft’ and shiny look the habitat is suitable, but is and the body colour is very extremely local and threatened Once familiar with the species, yellow. As they mature, the by water pollution, excessive get out there and look for them! wings harden and the body dredging and loss of woodland Their emergence is usually becomes increasingly green. within easy reach of the river. between mid-May and mid- The Common Clubtail is The species is also likely to be June, but varies with the distinctive, but if in doubt, look under-recorded due to its rapid season, so if you want to for the separated eyes as in all disappearance into the tree narrow it down, check the other UK dragonfly species the canopy shortly after British Dragonfly Society eyes are joined. emergence. website Latest Sightings -

How to look for clubtails http://www.british- dragonflies.org.uk/content/lates

t-sightings Once the species is In order to find out more about spotted elsewhere, get the local Common Clubtail searching! population, we need as many people as possible to become familiar with and look for the What to record species and to report their The Common Clubtail has an sightings. If you spot a Common Clubtail, unusually early flight period, please record where it was as from the middle of May through All the key identification accurately as you can. If you to early June, with a tightly features of Common Clubtails have a smartphone, add the synchronised peak emergence are explained on the next page. ‘OS Locate’ app and this will tell from mid- to late-May (the This page could be printed out you where you are! majority of the population separately and taken out in the emerge within a week). The field to aid the search. Also make a note of the stage; larvae crawl out of the slow- i.e. teneral, exuvia, adult male flowing, muddy river sections The Common Clubtail’s rapid or female. Ideally take a where they have spent the last departure from the watercourse photograph to help verify your three to five years, onto bare after emergence means that it record as correct. Ideally collect mud, rocks or plants, usually is most often seen in its teneral exuviae to avoid duplication by within 3 metres of the water’s form, but exuviae can persist in another recorder, making sure edge and the adult emerges. good weather and their muddy you know which one was found coating can make them stand where, if you find more than out. Exuviae are the ‘empty one during your visit!

Common Clubtail (Gompus vulgatissimus)

Mature male Mature female

Dull, turquoise-

green Vicky Nall Vicky

separated eyes © © Alastair Rae Alastair ©

overall length: 50mm

wing span: 64mm

base of base of hind hind wing wing strongly rounded excised

Club-shaped abdomen

black & green, apart from yellow black & yellow on sides of ‘club'

Grey/brown eyes Teneral

Exuvia

small heart- shaped head pale black & yellow in colour wings have soft, very shiny appearance

Often

covered

in mud 27-30mm

due to

larval

habitat weak flyer

body appears squat when viewed from the side

See the next page for details on how to sex exuviae…

Sexing exuviae

It is possible to determine the gender of the Common Clubtail using subtle difference exhibited on the exterior of the exuvia.

male female

Mike Averill Mike

the male has secondary genitalia the female has bumps on segment no bumps on 2 and 3 of the the abdominal abdomen segments 2 & 3

Females also have 2 short prongs at the base of the 8th segment on the underside, whilst males have an oval on the ventral side of the 9th segment, as shown on the images below. However, as the exuviae are usually covered in mud it is often hard to see these features.

These illustrations & those of the exuviae on the previous page are taken from ‘Field Guide to the Larvae and Exuviae of British Dragonflies: Damselflies (Zgypotera) and Dragonflies (Anisoptera)’ by Steve Cham.

Send your Common Clubtail records to: Tammy Stretton, Conservation Officer, Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust – [email protected] 42 Broad Street, Welshpool, Powys, SY21 7RR 01938 555654