Horned Clubtail

Wordless - Horned Clubtail

Most clubtail dragonflies are found around streams and rivers. The clubtail nymphs typically require water with a lot of oxygen which you find only around running water. The exception to this are the pond clubtails, Genus Arigomphus. The pond clubtails in this part of the country consist of the lilypad clubtail and the horned clubtail, pictured above. Horned clubtails are often found perched on floating vegetation such as lily pads or floating algae mats. I photographed this one at the wetlands that overflow from Purgatory Creek

Horned Clubtail

When I look for clubtail dragonfly I usually look for river habitat. Many clubtail larvae prefer clean flowing water that you usually find in a river or stream. There are exceptions to this though. Dragons like the lily pad and horned clubtail, pictured here, prefer ponds, bogs and marshy lake shores.

Horned clubtails do not have a very pronounced club. They are fairly common in this area and easy to find in the early summer. They are not very easy to net, unless you do not mind wading through scummy water, but if you have a long lens you can usually find them perched on floating vegetation and get some good shots. I took these pics at Purgatory Creek.

Horned Clubtail

Watching dragonflies is a lot like bird watching. Like birds the way to find a particular dragon is to know its season and the particular habitat that it prefers. Here in Minnesota dragons typically fly between May to October. Some species emerge from their underwater life at staggered times through out the summer while other types emerge at approximately the same time. This second group usually can only be found for a month or two during the summer. The horned clubtail is one of these types.

Like most clubtails the horned clubtail emerges fairly early in the summer, usually in June, and they are usually gone before the end of July. I photographed these horned clubs at the beginning of June at the Purgatory Creek wetlands. Unlike other clubtails though, the horned clubtail is not usually found near rivers. This clubtail likes slow moving marshy streams, bogs and ponds. They are often found perched on lily pads, moss beds or other vegetation as you can see above.