Adams County
Known species county: 91
Total Observations county: 1,927
Population: 28,105
Area in Square Miles: 587
People per Square Mile: 48
Observations per Square Mile: 3.0
Percent of State Species: 53%
Percent of State Observations: .7%
County iNaturalist observations
The Observed Species table provides statistical data on all odonata species that have been observed in the county. Below that is a Target Species table listing species that have not yet been documented in this county, but are likely to exist in the county. This list is data-driven by listing species records from neighboring counties.
Observed Species
Common Name | Scientific Name | Adams Total | Ohio Total | Adams 2024 | Last Sighted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Widow Skimmer | Libellula luctuosa | 134 | 11,931 | 17 | 2024 |
| Eastern Pondhawk | Erythemis simplicicollis | 111 | 16,365 | 12 | 2024 |
| Common Whitetail | Plathemis lydia | 101 | 12,022 | 14 | 2024 |
| Blue Dasher | Pachydiplax longipennis | 78 | 15,601 | 6 | 2024 |
| Slaty Skimmer | Libellula incesta | 62 | 4,920 | 4 | 2024 |
| Fragile Forktail | Ischnura posita | 60 | 13,199 | 9 | 2024 |
| Swift River Cruiser | Macromia illinoiensis | 58 | 760 | 2 | 2024 |
| Eastern Amberwing | Perithemis tenera | 57 | 10,887 | 9 | 2024 |
| Ebony Jewelwing | Calopteryx maculata | 53 | 8,606 | 5 | 2024 |
| Halloween Pennant | Celithemis eponina | 51 | 4,187 | 2 | 2024 |
| Royal River Cruiser | Macromia taeniolata | 49 | 598 | 2 | 2024 |
| Midland Clubtail | Gomphurus fraternus | 47 | 927 | 6 | 2024 |
| Black-shouldered Spinyleg | Dromogomphus spinosus | 46 | 671 | 9 | 2024 |
| Powdered Dancer | Argia moesta | 41 | 5,141 | 8 | 2024 |
| Blue-fronted Dancer | Argia apicalis | 37 | 6,584 | 1 | 2024 |
| Spangled Skimmer | Libellula cyanea | 36 | 1,197 | 2 | 2024 |
| Blue Corporal | Ladona deplanata | 35 | 601 | 8 | 2024 |
| Stream Bluet | Enallagma exsulans | 35 | 4,803 | 4 | 2024 |
| Violet Dancer | Argia fumipennis violacea | 34 | 7,557 | 5 | 2024 |
| Eastern Forktail | Ischnura verticalis | 33 | 15,992 | 4 | 2024 |
| Fawn Darner | Boyeria vinosa | 30 | 519 | 0 | 2016 |
| Double-striped Bluet | Enallagma basidens | 28 | 5,343 | 2 | 2024 |
| Blue-ringed Dancer | Argia sedula | 27 | 2,837 | 8 | 2024 |
| American Rubyspot | Hetaerina americana | 27 | 4,444 | 4 | 2024 |
| Autumn Meadowhawk | Sympetrum vicinum | 27 | 8,456 | 1 | 2024 |
| Calico Pennant | Celithemis elisa | 27 | 3,194 | 0 | 2022 |
| Flag-tailed Spinyleg | Dromogomphus spoliatus | 25 | 809 | 4 | 2024 |
| Gray Petaltail | Tachopteryx thoreyi | 25 | 446 | 3 | 2024 |
| Common Green Darner | Anax junius | 25 | 5,160 | 0 | 2023 |
| Prince Baskettail | Epitheca princeps | 24 | 2,788 | 2 | 2024 |
| Banded Pennant | Celithemis fasciata | 24 | 860 | 2 | 2024 |
| Familiar Bluet | Enallagma civile | 24 | 6,173 | 0 | 2023 |
| Skimming Bluet | Enallagma geminatum | 24 | 3,832 | 0 | 2021 |
| Arrowhead Spiketail | Zoraena obliqua | 22 | 189 | 2 | 2024 |
| Stream Cruiser | Didymops transversa | 21 | 140 | 5 | 2024 |
| Orange Bluet | Enallagma signatum | 18 | 3,791 | 0 | 2023 |
| Azure Bluet | Enallagma aspersum | 18 | 2,488 | 0 | 2023 |
| Citrine Forktail | Ischnura hastata | 18 | 962 | 0 | 2019 |
| Stygian Shadowdragon | Neurocordulia yamaskanensis | 18 | 68 | 0 | 2021 |
| Dusky Dancer | Argia translata | 16 | 1,681 | 3 | 2024 |
| Common Baskettail | Epitheca cynosura | 15 | 874 | 2 | 2024 |
| Black Saddlebags | Tramea lacerata | 15 | 3,380 | 0 | 2019 |
| Springtime Darner | Basiaeschna janata | 15 | 374 | 0 | 2021 |
| Twelve-spotted Skimmer | Libellula pulchella | 14 | 3,740 | 0 | 2021 |
| Unicorn Clubtail | Arigomphus villosipes | 13 | 2,065 | 0 | 2023 |
| Clamp-tipped Emerald | Somatochlora tenebrosa | 13 | 217 | 0 | 2023 |
| Carolina Saddlebags | Tramea carolina | 12 | 1,263 | 1 | 2024 |
| Painted Skimmer | Libellula semifasciata | 12 | 1,208 | 1 | 2024 |
| Dragonhunter | Hagenius brevistylus | 12 | 589 | 0 | 2021 |
| Ashy Clubtail | Phanogomphus lividus | 10 | 1,009 | 2 | 2024 |
| Uhler's Sundragon | Helocordulia uhleri | 10 | 63 | 1 | 2024 |
| Blue-faced Meadowhawk | Sympetrum ambiguum | 10 | 1,452 | 0 | 2019 |
| Wandering Glider | Pantala flavescens | 9 | 1,523 | 1 | 2024 |
| Comet Darner | Anax longipes | 8 | 605 | 0 | 2019 |
| Tiger Spiketail | Zoraena erronea | 8 | 126 | 0 | 2023 |
| Aurora Damsel | Chromagrion conditum | 7 | 576 | 3 | 2024 |
| Eastern Least Clubtail | Stylogomphus albistylus | 7 | 329 | 0 | 2022 |
| Lancet Clubtail | Phanogomphus exilis | 6 | 1,803 | 1 | 2024 |
| Slender Spreadwing | Lestes rectangularis | 6 | 3,904 | 0 | 2015 |
| Shadow Darner | Aeshna umbrosa | 6 | 1,187 | 0 | 2019 |
| Great Spreadwing | Archilestes grandis | 6 | 959 | 0 | 2013 |
| Mocha Emerald | Somatochlora linearis | 6 | 202 | 0 | 2019 |
| Allegheny River Cruiser | Macromia alleghaniensis | 6 | 16 | 0 | 2002 |
| Rapids Clubtail | Phanogomphus quadricolor | 5 | 377 | 2 | 2024 |
| Spotted Spreadwing | Lestes congener | 5 | 860 | 0 | 2022 |
| Swamp Darner | Epiaeschna heros | 5 | 715 | 0 | 2020 |
| Pronghorn Clubtail | Phanogomphus graslinellus | 5 | 503 | 0 | 2005 |
| Cobra Clubtail | Gomphurus vastus | 4 | 471 | 2 | 2024 |
| Blue-tipped Dancer | Argia tibialis | 4 | 4,492 | 0 | 2005 |
| Ruby Meadowhawk | Sympetrum rubicundulum | 4 | 965 | 0 | 2004 |
| Amber-winged Spreadwing | Lestes eurinus | 4 | 706 | 0 | 2015 |
| Great Blue Skimmer | Libellula vibrans | 4 | 501 | 0 | 2019 |
| Spot-winged Glider | Pantala hymenaea | 3 | 562 | 0 | 2022 |
| Arrow Clubtail | Stylurus spiniceps | 3 | 321 | 0 | 2016 |
| Four-spotted Skimmer | Libellula quadrimaculata | 3 | 295 | 0 | 2009 |
| Green-faced Clubtail | Hylogomphus viridifrons | 3 | 98 | 0 | 2015 |
| Twin-spotted Spiketail | Zoraena maculata | 2 | 95 | 1 | 2024 |
| Westfall's Slender Bluet | Enallagma traviatum westfalli | 2 | 2,367 | 0 | 2009 |
| Eastern Red Damsel | Amphiagrion saucium | 2 | 1,420 | 0 | 2021 |
| Turquoise Bluet | Enallagma divagans | 2 | 918 | 0 | 2023 |
| Southern Spreadwing | Lestes australis | 2 | 284 | 0 | 2008 |
| Handsome Clubtail | Gomphurus crassus | 2 | 209 | 0 | 2015 |
| Red Saddlebags | Tramea onusta | 2 | 146 | 0 | 2023 |
| Elusive Clubtail | Stylurus notatus | 2 | 137 | 0 | 1996 |
| Swamp Spreadwing | Lestes vigilax | 1 | 608 | 1 | 2024 |
| Russet-tipped Clubtail | Stylurus plagiatus | 1 | 390 | 0 | 1996 |
| White-faced Meadowhawk | Sympetrum obtrusum | 1 | 305 | 0 | 2015 |
| Black-tipped Darner | Aeshna tuberculifera | 1 | 163 | 0 | 2015 |
| Variegated Meadowhawk | Sympetrum corruptum | 1 | 149 | 0 | 2002 |
| Smoky Shadowdragon | Neurocordulia molesta | 1 | 18 | 0 | 2021 |
| Northern Pygmy Clubtail | Lanthus parvulus | 1 | 7 | 0 | 1987 |
Target Species
Target species are potential County Records - species not yet documented in the county. 'Local Obs' is Local Observations and indicates the number of times that the species has been observed in adjacent counties since 2000, and '# of Counties' is the number of adjacent counties in which those recent observations took place. Zero local observations or recent counties means the existing records are historical. 'Peak Active' is a relative description of when the species has been known to fly.| Common Name | Scientific Name | Ohio Obs | Local Obs | # of Counties | Peak Active |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vesper Bluet | Enallagma vesperum | 922 | 4 | 4 | Jun |
| Cyrano Darner | Nasiaeschna pentacantha | 321 | 5 | 2 | mid Jun |
| Elegant Spreadwing | Lestes inaequalis | 580 | 4 | 2 | Jun |
| Yellow-sided Skimmer | Libellula flavida | 102 | 96 | 1 | late Jul |
| Seepage Dancer | Argia bipunctulata | 1,230 | 48 | 1 | Jun-Jul |
| Lilypad Forktail | Ischnura kellicotti | 858 | 21 | 1 | Jun-Sep |
| Common Sanddragon | Progomphus obscurus | 168 | 10 | 1 | late Jun-mid Jul |
| Golden-winged Skimmer | Libellula auripennis | 45 | 4 | 1 | late Jun |
| Sphagnum Sprite | Nehalennia gracilis | 443 | 3 | 1 | late Jun-early Jul |
| Little Blue Dragonlet | Erythrodiplax minuscula | 5 | 3 | 1 | Jun |
| Sweetflag Spreadwing | Lestes forcipatus | 514 | 2 | 1 | Jul-Aug |
| Brown Spiketail | Zoraena bilineata | 240 | 2 | 1 | late May-early Jun |
| Emerald Spreadwing | Lestes dryas | 567 | 1 | 1 | Jun |
| Green-striped Darner | Aeshna verticalis | 342 | 1 | 1 | Sep |
| Plains Clubtail | Gomphurus externus | 236 | 1 | 1 | mid Jun-mid Jul |
| Northern Spreadwing | Lestes disjunctus | 24 | 1 | 1 | Jun-Aug |
| Dot-tailed Whiteface | Leucorrhinia intacta | 1,702 | 0 | 0 | early Jun |
| Rainbow Bluet | Enallagma antennatum | 485 | 0 | 0 | Jun |
| Sedge Sprite | Nehalennia irene | 396 | 0 | 0 | Jun |
| Smoky Rubyspot | Hetaerina titia | 377 | 0 | 0 | early Sep |
| Cherry-faced Meadowhawk | Sympetrum internum | 14 | 0 | 0 | Sep |
| Umber Shadowdragon | Neurocordulia obsoleta | 6 | 0 | 0 | Jun |
Located on the southern edge of Ohio and bordering the Ohio river, almost 57% of Adams County is forested. The largest waterway within the county is Brush Creek, which runs across the entire county from north to the Ohio River. Typical of counties located along the Allegheny Escarpment, it is compromised of 3 physiographic regions. A totally unglaciated county, the area along the Ohio and much of the center of the county is part of the Outer Bluegrass Region. The northwest of the county is Till Plain, and the eastern 1/3 is Unglaciated Allegheny Plateau.
Places to Visit
The 20,000 acre Edge of Appalachia Preserve includes rugged woodland, prairie openings, waterfalls, giant promontories and clear streams. 47 odonata species have been documented there. It provides 2 access points to Brush Creek, at 3223 Waggoner Riffle Road, West Union, OH, and at 653 Waggoner Riffle Road, Lynx, OH.
County Observation Activity
This graph shows the total number of odonata observations for the county in blue, with the average for all Ohio counties in orange. The season is divided into 10 or 11 day segments by Month – basically early-month, mid-month, and late-month.
Page updated 31 December 2024