rusty snaketail

rusty snaketail (Ophiogomphus rupinsulensis) [male]
Photo © Mary Kay Rubey

FEATURES
The rusty snaketail is about one and one-half to two inches long, have a yellow face, yellow-green thorax, and a brown abdomen with a rusty-red tip. Their wings are amber-tinted with a yellow margin, and they have short legs with stout spines. Females are a bit duller in color than males, which is common among Odonata. The rusty snaketail is the only one of its genera known to occur in Illinois.

BEHAVIORS
The rusty snaketail flies near large, silty rivers and streams from May to August in the northern third of the state. They can be seen all day, but more frequently before 10am and after 4pm. Both males and females perch on twigs near water or and males are more commonly seen hovering over riffles. Mating hasn’t been documented, but females deposit eggs over riffles.

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Odonata
Family: Gomphidae