Common Clubtail

Common Clubtail

Gomphus vulgatissimus

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
at Białowieża National Park

In 3 days ~40% in a week ~70%

11 Verified sightings at Białowieża National Park From 2019 to 2026
55 In all 5 parks
May Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

About the Common Clubtail

Gomphus vulgatissimus, the common clubtail, is a medium-sized (wingspan 6 –7 cm.) species of dragonfly in the family Gomphidae. It is found in most of Europe, and is present now in the south of France. Its natural habitats are clean, slow moving streaming rivers and creeks with sandy soil. It can be seen from mid-April in the south to August. Once they hatched out of water, they live shortly. As the common name suggests, this medium-sized species has a distinctive club-shaped abdomen. The males are black with extensive yellow markings on the thorax and abdomen which turn green as the insect ages. The females are black with extensive yellow markings. In the British Isles the adult flight period extends from mid May to early July.

"Gomphus vulgatissimus". British Dragonfly Society. Retrieved 28 May 2011. Media related to Gomphus vulgatissimus at Wikimedia Commons Data related to Gomphus vulgatissimus at Wikispecies Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Plitvice Lakes National Park 🇭🇷 Croatia
~40%
2 Biebrza National Park 🇵🇱 Poland
~30%
3 Białowieża National Park 🇵🇱 Poland
~20%
4 Cévennes National Park 🇫🇷 France
<5%
5 Pyrénées National Park 🇫🇷 France
<5%

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Turin 🇮🇹 Italy
~10%
2 Novosibirsk 🇷🇺 Russia
<5%
3 Milan 🇮🇹 Italy
<5%
4 Paris 🇫🇷 France
<5%
5 Vienna 🇦🇹 Austria
<5%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Common Clubtail in Białowieża National Park?

Possible

About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Common Clubtail sighting in Białowieża National Park on a given day, based on 11 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 56th most-seen of the 158 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 40%, and over a week to about 70%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a Common Clubtail in Białowieża National Park?

May

In that month about 40% of wildlife watchers report a Common Clubtail in Białowieża National Park on a given day, against under 5% in July to April, the lowest months.

What time of day is best to see a Common Clubtail?

Between 9 am and noon

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Common Clubtail sightings with a recorded time, and nearly all of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Is Białowieża National Park the best place to see a Common Clubtail?

3rd of 5

Of the 5 parks where we can rate Common Clubtail sightings, Białowieża National Park ranks 3rd at about 20%. The best odds are in Plitvice Lakes National Park (Croatia, about 40%) and Biebrza National Park (Poland, about 30%).

Which relatives of the Common Clubtail live in Białowieża National Park?

Same order: Odonata

The closest relatives of the Common Clubtail that you can see in Białowieża National Park (order Odonata, Dragonflies and Damselflies) are Ruddy Darter (about 30%), Banded Demoiselle (about 20%) and Azure Damselfly (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.

Where does the Common Clubtail sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Common Clubtail is recorded against all the insects logged in Białowieża National Park (11 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

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