Brown County
Known species county: 58
Total Observations county: 1,095
Population: 44,264
Area in Square Miles: 493
People per Square Mile: 90
Observations per Square Mile: 2.0
Percent of State Species: 34%
Percent of State Observations: 0.4%
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 | Brown Total | Ohio Total | Brown 2024 | Last Sighted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Dasher | Pachydiplax longipennis | 133 | 15,601 | 14 | 2024 |
| Eastern Pondhawk | Erythemis simplicicollis | 115 | 16,365 | 13 | 2024 |
| Slaty Skimmer | Libellula incesta | 89 | 4,920 | 13 | 2024 |
| Widow Skimmer | Libellula luctuosa | 77 | 11,931 | 10 | 2024 |
| Common Whitetail | Plathemis lydia | 72 | 12,022 | 13 | 2024 |
| Fragile Forktail | Ischnura posita | 72 | 13,199 | 4 | 2024 |
| Eastern Amberwing | Perithemis tenera | 66 | 10,887 | 9 | 2024 |
| Eastern Forktail | Ischnura verticalis | 48 | 15,992 | 4 | 2024 |
| Spangled Skimmer | Libellula cyanea | 39 | 1,197 | 3 | 2024 |
| Skimming Bluet | Enallagma geminatum | 35 | 3,832 | 4 | 2024 |
| Common Green Darner | Anax junius | 26 | 5,160 | 4 | 2024 |
| Orange Bluet | Enallagma signatum | 26 | 3,791 | 4 | 2024 |
| Prince Baskettail | Epitheca princeps | 24 | 2,788 | 3 | 2024 |
| Halloween Pennant | Celithemis eponina | 18 | 4,187 | 1 | 2024 |
| Black Saddlebags | Tramea lacerata | 17 | 3,380 | 5 | 2024 |
| Twelve-spotted Skimmer | Libellula pulchella | 17 | 3,740 | 1 | 2024 |
| Familiar Bluet | Enallagma civile | 16 | 6,173 | 4 | 2024 |
| Blue-fronted Dancer | Argia apicalis | 14 | 6,584 | 2 | 2024 |
| Stream Bluet | Enallagma exsulans | 13 | 4,803 | 0 | 2023 |
| Unicorn Clubtail | Arigomphus villosipes | 13 | 2,065 | 0 | 2023 |
| Citrine Forktail | Ischnura hastata | 13 | 962 | 0 | 2022 |
| Carolina Saddlebags | Tramea carolina | 11 | 1,263 | 3 | 2024 |
| Ebony Jewelwing | Calopteryx maculata | 11 | 8,606 | 2 | 2024 |
| Slender Spreadwing | Lestes rectangularis | 11 | 3,904 | 1 | 2024 |
| Azure Bluet | Enallagma aspersum | 11 | 2,488 | 0 | 2022 |
| Double-striped Bluet | Enallagma basidens | 10 | 5,343 | 1 | 2024 |
| Violet Dancer | Argia fumipennis violacea | 10 | 7,557 | 0 | 2023 |
| Blue Corporal | Ladona deplanata | 7 | 601 | 0 | 2019 |
| Autumn Meadowhawk | Sympetrum vicinum | 6 | 8,456 | 0 | 2022 |
| Powdered Dancer | Argia moesta | 6 | 5,141 | 0 | 2022 |
| Blue-tipped Dancer | Argia tibialis | 6 | 4,492 | 0 | 2022 |
| Painted Skimmer | Libellula semifasciata | 6 | 1,208 | 0 | 2023 |
| Blue-ringed Dancer | Argia sedula | 5 | 2,837 | 0 | 2018 |
| Westfall's Slender Bluet | Enallagma traviatum westfalli | 5 | 2,367 | 0 | 2023 |
| Blue-faced Meadowhawk | Sympetrum ambiguum | 4 | 1,452 | 0 | 2021 |
| Flag-tailed Spinyleg | Dromogomphus spoliatus | 4 | 809 | 0 | 2022 |
| Cyrano Darner | Nasiaeschna pentacantha | 4 | 321 | 0 | 2023 |
| Southern Spreadwing | Lestes australis | 4 | 284 | 0 | 2022 |
| Wandering Glider | Pantala flavescens | 3 | 1,523 | 0 | 2022 |
| Turquoise Bluet | Enallagma divagans | 3 | 918 | 0 | 2023 |
| Amber-winged Spreadwing | Lestes eurinus | 3 | 706 | 0 | 2022 |
| Springtime Darner | Basiaeschna janata | 3 | 374 | 0 | 2019 |
| American Rubyspot | Hetaerina americana | 2 | 4,444 | 0 | 2019 |
| Dusky Dancer | Argia translata | 2 | 1,681 | 0 | 2019 |
| Stream Cruiser | Didymops transversa | 2 | 140 | 0 | 2022 |
| Comet Darner | Anax longipes | 1 | 605 | 1 | 2024 |
| Dragonhunter | Hagenius brevistylus | 1 | 589 | 1 | 2024 |
| Calico Pennant | Celithemis elisa | 1 | 3,194 | 0 | 1963 |
| Ruby Meadowhawk | Sympetrum rubicundulum | 1 | 965 | 0 | 1961 |
| Midland Clubtail | Gomphurus fraternus | 1 | 927 | 0 | 2010 |
| Vesper Bluet | Enallagma vesperum | 1 | 922 | 0 | 2008 |
| Common Baskettail | Epitheca cynosura | 1 | 874 | 0 | 2023 |
| Royal River Cruiser | Macromia taeniolata | 1 | 598 | 0 | 2018 |
| Elegant Spreadwing | Lestes inaequalis | 1 | 580 | 0 | 2023 |
| Spot-winged Glider | Pantala hymenaea | 1 | 562 | 0 | 2018 |
| Fawn Darner | Boyeria vinosa | 1 | 519 | 0 | 1983 |
| Pronghorn Clubtail | Phanogomphus graslinellus | 1 | 503 | 0 | 2008 |
| Smoky Rubyspot | Hetaerina titia | 1 | 377 | 0 | 1960 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Swamp Darner | Epiaeschna heros | 715 | 31 | 5 | late May-early Jun |
| Swift River Cruiser | Macromia illinoiensis | 760 | 47 | 4 | Jul-Aug |
| Black-shouldered Spinyleg | Dromogomphus spinosus | 671 | 39 | 4 | Jun-Jul |
| Shadow Darner | Aeshna umbrosa | 1,187 | 17 | 4 | Sep-Oct |
| Red Saddlebags | Tramea onusta | 146 | 10 | 4 | Jun-Jul |
| Banded Pennant | Celithemis fasciata | 860 | 90 | 3 | Jul |
| Great Blue Skimmer | Libellula vibrans | 501 | 39 | 3 | Jun-Jul |
| Gray Petaltail | Tachopteryx thoreyi | 446 | 26 | 3 | Jun |
| Great Spreadwing | Archilestes grandis | 959 | 19 | 3 | Sep |
| Cobra Clubtail | Gomphurus vastus | 471 | 16 | 3 | Jun |
| Spotted Spreadwing | Lestes congener | 860 | 14 | 3 | late Aug-late Sep |
| Sweetflag Spreadwing | Lestes forcipatus | 514 | 12 | 3 | Jul-Aug |
| Four-spotted Skimmer | Libellula quadrimaculata | 295 | 10 | 3 | Jun |
| Variegated Meadowhawk | Sympetrum corruptum | 149 | 9 | 3 | Apr-Sep |
| Lancet Clubtail | Phanogomphus exilis | 1,803 | 8 | 3 | early Jun |
| White-faced Meadowhawk | Sympetrum obtrusum | 305 | 4 | 3 | Sep |
| Arrowhead Spiketail | Zoraena obliqua | 189 | 29 | 2 | late May-early Jun |
| Stygian Shadowdragon | Neurocordulia yamaskanensis | 68 | 18 | 2 | late Jun |
| Spatterdock Darner | Rhionaeschna mutata | 396 | 16 | 2 | Jun |
| Eastern Ringtail | Erpetogomphus designatus | 177 | 16 | 2 | Aug |
| Ashy Clubtail | Phanogomphus lividus | 1,009 | 10 | 2 | late May-early Jun |
| Rapids Clubtail | Phanogomphus quadricolor | 377 | 8 | 2 | Jun |
| Eastern Least Clubtail | Stylogomphus albistylus | 329 | 7 | 2 | Jun |
| Mocha Emerald | Somatochlora linearis | 202 | 5 | 2 | late Jun-late Aug |
| Lilypad Forktail | Ischnura kellicotti | 858 | 4 | 2 | Jun-Sep |
| Arrow Clubtail | Stylurus spiniceps | 321 | 4 | 2 | late Aug-early Sep |
| Handsome Clubtail | Gomphurus crassus | 209 | 4 | 2 | late May-early Jun |
| Smoky Shadowdragon | Neurocordulia molesta | 18 | 4 | 2 | Jun |
| Band-winged Meadowhawk | Sympetrum semicinctum | 931 | 3 | 2 | Jul-Aug |
| Swamp Spreadwing | Lestes vigilax | 608 | 2 | 2 | Jul |
| Rainbow Bluet | Enallagma antennatum | 485 | 2 | 2 | Jun |
| Duckweed Firetail | Telebasis byersi | 14 | 14 | 1 | Jul |
| Clamp-tipped Emerald | Somatochlora tenebrosa | 217 | 11 | 1 | Aug |
| Uhler's Sundragon | Helocordulia uhleri | 63 | 9 | 1 | May |
| Aurora Damsel | Chromagrion conditum | 576 | 7 | 1 | late May-early Jun |
| Tiger Spiketail | Zoraena erronea | 126 | 6 | 1 | Jul |
| Sedge Sprite | Nehalennia irene | 396 | 3 | 1 | Jun |
| Eastern Red Damsel | Amphiagrion saucium | 1,420 | 2 | 1 | late May-early Jun |
| Twin-spotted Spiketail | Zoraena maculata | 95 | 2 | 1 | late May-mid Jun |
| Tule Bluet | Enallagma carunculatum | 569 | 1 | 1 | Jun-Jul |
| Swift Setwing | Dythemis velox | 447 | 1 | 1 | Jul-Aug |
| Black-tipped Darner | Aeshna tuberculifera | 163 | 1 | 1 | late Aug-early Sep |
| Elusive Clubtail | Stylurus notatus | 137 | 1 | 1 | Sep |
| Green-faced Clubtail | Hylogomphus viridifrons | 98 | 1 | 1 | mid Jun |
| Double-ringed Pennant | Celithemis verna | 64 | 1 | 1 | late Jun |
| Golden-winged Skimmer | Libellula auripennis | 45 | 1 | 1 | late Jun |
| Striped Saddlebags | Tramea darwini | 33 | 1 | 1 | early Oct |
| Slender Baskettail | Epitheca costalis | 24 | 1 | 1 | late May |
| Northern Spreadwing | Lestes disjunctus | 24 | 1 | 1 | Jun-Aug |
| Allegheny River Cruiser | Macromia alleghaniensis | 16 | 1 | 1 | Jul |
| Dot-tailed Whiteface | Leucorrhinia intacta | 1,702 | 0 | 0 | early Jun |
| Russet-tipped Clubtail | Stylurus plagiatus | 390 | 0 | 0 | Sep |
| Lance-tipped Darner | Aeshna constricta | 361 | 0 | 0 | Sep |
| Lyre-tipped Spreadwing | Lestes unguiculatus | 210 | 0 | 0 | Jun-Jul |
| Northern Pygmy Clubtail | Lanthus parvulus | 7 | 0 | 0 | Jun |
Located on the southern edge of Ohio and bordering the Ohio river, almost 21% of Brown County is forested. The East Fork of the Little Miami River bisects the county’s northern panhandle. Most of the county is within the glaciated Till Plains ecoregion, but a narrow strip along the Ohio is part of the Outer Bluegrass Region.
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 2 January 2025