This species is commonly found throughout eastern United States and some parts of Canada. It is usually found at forest rivulets that are spring-fed and have a muck bottom, sometimes with rocks or in small rapid streams.

The Cordulegastridae are a family of Odonata (dragonflies) from the suborder Anisoptera. They are commonly known as spiketails.Some vernacular names for the species of this family are biddie and flying adder.They have large, brown or black bodies with yellow markings. They can be found along small, clear, woodland streams, flying slowly 30 to 70 cm above the water. When disturbed, however, they can fly very rapidly.

The family is distributed worldwide; all eight species in North America belong to the genus Cordulegaster.

The name Cordulegastridae comes from the Greek kordylinus, 'club-shaped' and gaster, belly. The common name spiketails refers to the females' prominent ovipositors.