Butler County
Known species county: 80
Total Observations county: 3,930
Population: 371,222
Area in Square Miles: 470
People per Square Mile: 790
Observations per Square Mile: 8.4
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 | Butler Total | Ohio Total | Butler 2023 | Last Sighted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern Pondhawk | Erythemis simplicicollis | 404 | 13,870 | 38 | 2023 |
| Blue Dasher | Pachydiplax longipennis | 275 | 13,169 | 12 | 2023 |
| Fragile Forktail | Ischnura posita | 266 | 10,727 | 31 | 2023 |
| Common Whitetail | Plathemis lydia | 264 | 9,898 | 36 | 2023 |
| Eastern Forktail | Ischnura verticalis | 249 | 13,326 | 25 | 2023 |
| Slender Spreadwing | Lestes rectangularis | 186 | 3,492 | 26 | 2023 |
| Widow Skimmer | Libellula luctuosa | 186 | 10,352 | 22 | 2023 |
| Blue-faced Meadowhawk | Sympetrum ambiguum | 164 | 1,204 | 10 | 2023 |
| Eastern Amberwing | Perithemis tenera | 153 | 8,819 | 18 | 2023 |
| Powdered Dancer | Argia moesta | 151 | 4,247 | 41 | 2023 |
| Ebony Jewelwing | Calopteryx maculata | 144 | 7,169 | 29 | 2023 |
| American Rubyspot | Hetaerina americana | 144 | 3,761 | 20 | 2023 |
| Double-striped Bluet | Enallagma basidens | 126 | 4,313 | 27 | 2023 |
| Blue-fronted Dancer | Argia apicalis | 111 | 5,692 | 17 | 2023 |
| Common Green Darner | Anax junius | 77 | 4,146 | 20 | 2023 |
| Familiar Bluet | Enallagma civile | 77 | 5,111 | 12 | 2023 |
| Halloween Pennant | Celithemis eponina | 58 | 3,628 | 9 | 2023 |
| Violet Dancer | Argia fumipennis violacea | 55 | 6,247 | 15 | 2023 |
| Stream Bluet | Enallagma exsulans | 54 | 4,097 | 7 | 2023 |
| Orange Bluet | Enallagma signatum | 50 | 3,184 | 20 | 2023 |
| Autumn Meadowhawk | Sympetrum vicinum | 48 | 6,971 | 3 | 2023 |
| Prince Baskettail | Epitheca princeps | 45 | 2,390 | 13 | 2023 |
| Twelve-spotted Skimmer | Libellula pulchella | 43 | 3,377 | 4 | 2023 |
| Black Saddlebags | Tramea lacerata | 40 | 2,839 | 12 | 2023 |
| Skimming Bluet | Enallagma geminatum | 39 | 3,109 | 16 | 2023 |
| Blue-ringed Dancer | Argia sedula | 37 | 2,364 | 9 | 2023 |
| Blue-tipped Dancer | Argia tibialis | 32 | 3,785 | 7 | 2023 |
| Wandering Glider | Pantala flavescens | 25 | 1,241 | 4 | 2023 |
| Citrine Forktail | Ischnura hastata | 25 | 899 | 0 | 2022 |
| Calico Pennant | Celithemis elisa | 24 | 2,752 | 5 | 2023 |
| Eastern Ringtail | Erpetogomphus designatus | 24 | 150 | 2 | 2023 |
| Great Spreadwing | Archilestes grandis | 23 | 824 | 4 | 2023 |
| Unicorn Clubtail | Arigomphus villosipes | 19 | 1,687 | 10 | 2023 |
| Dusky Dancer | Argia translata | 19 | 1,376 | 7 | 2023 |
| Azure Bluet | Enallagma aspersum | 18 | 2,115 | 7 | 2023 |
| Banded Pennant | Celithemis fasciata | 15 | 684 | 0 | 2022 |
| Blue Corporal | Ladona deplanata | 14 | 446 | 1 | 2023 |
| Flag-tailed Spinyleg | Dromogomphus spoliatus | 13 | 743 | 5 | 2023 |
| Shadow Darner | Aeshna umbrosa | 13 | 1,031 | 1 | 2023 |
| Slaty Skimmer | Libellula incesta | 12 | 4,032 | 4 | 2023 |
| Westfall's Slender Bluet | Enallagma traviatum westfalli | 12 | 1,991 | 3 | 2023 |
| Common Baskettail | Epitheca cynosura | 11 | 748 | 0 | 2021 |
| Fawn Darner | Boyeria vinosa | 10 | 440 | 0 | 2022 |
| Ashy Clubtail | Phanogomphus lividus | 8 | 874 | 1 | 2023 |
| Carolina Saddlebags | Tramea carolina | 8 | 1,048 | 0 | 2021 |
| Ruby Meadowhawk | Sympetrum rubicundulum | 8 | 942 | 0 | 1996 |
| Arrowhead Spiketail | Cordulegaster obliqua | 7 | 172 | 2 | 2023 |
| Swamp Darner | Epiaeschna heros | 6 | 620 | 2 | 2023 |
| Painted Skimmer | Libellula semifasciata | 6 | 1,056 | 0 | 2019 |
| Swift River Cruiser | Macromia illinoiensis | 6 | 688 | 0 | 2020 |
| Amber-winged Spreadwing | Lestes eurinus | 5 | 610 | 0 | 2019 |
| Southern Spreadwing | Lestes australis | 5 | 255 | 0 | 2021 |
| Cobra Clubtail | Gomphurus vastus | 4 | 377 | 0 | 2021 |
| White-faced Meadowhawk | Sympetrum obtrusum | 4 | 272 | 0 | 1957 |
| Lyre-tipped Spreadwing | Lestes unguiculatus | 4 | 180 | 0 | 1996 |
| Midland Clubtail | Gomphurus fraternus | 3 | 802 | 0 | 2021 |
| Swamp Spreadwing | Lestes vigilax | 3 | 544 | 0 | 1997 |
| Emerald Spreadwing | Lestes dryas | 3 | 479 | 0 | 2018 |
| Spot-winged Glider | Pantala hymenaea | 3 | 478 | 0 | 2020 |
| Pronghorn Clubtail | Phanogomphus graslinellus | 3 | 451 | 0 | 1997 |
| Sweetflag Spreadwing | Lestes forcipatus | 3 | 443 | 0 | 2018 |
| Springtime Darner | Basiaeschna janata | 3 | 298 | 0 | 2019 |
| Cyrano Darner | Nasiaeschna pentacantha | 2 | 277 | 2 | 2023 |
| Dragonhunter | Hagenius brevistylus | 2 | 439 | 1 | 2023 |
| Spangled Skimmer | Libellula cyanea | 2 | 1,037 | 0 | 2018 |
| Vesper Bluet | Enallagma vesperum | 2 | 740 | 0 | 2022 |
| Lance-tipped Darner | Aeshna constricta | 2 | 358 | 0 | 1964 |
| Red Saddlebags | Tramea onusta | 2 | 145 | 0 | 2016 |
| Eastern Red Damsel | Amphiagrion saucium | 1 | 1,230 | 0 | 1997 |
| Band-winged Meadowhawk | Sympetrum semicinctum | 1 | 860 | 0 | 1964 |
| Turquoise Bluet | Enallagma divagans | 1 | 768 | 0 | 1998 |
| Spotted Spreadwing | Lestes congener | 1 | 731 | 0 | 1943 |
| Comet Darner | Anax longipes | 1 | 515 | 0 | 2009 |
| Great Blue Skimmer | Libellula vibrans | 1 | 467 | 0 | 2022 |
| Spatterdock Darner | Rhionaeschna mutata | 1 | 335 | 0 | 2018 |
| Russet-tipped Clubtail | Stylurus plagiatus | 1 | 307 | 0 | 2010 |
| Mocha Emerald | Somatochlora linearis | 1 | 192 | 0 | 1969 |
| Plains Clubtail | Gomphurus externus | 1 | 189 | 0 | 2010 |
| Stream Cruiser | Didymops transversa | 1 | 121 | 0 | 1965 |
| Gilded River Cruiser | Macromia pacifica | 1 | 73 | 0 | 1964 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Royal River Cruiser | Macromia taeniolata | 536 | 17 | 3 | late Jul-Aug |
| Black-shouldered Spinyleg | Dromogomphus spinosus | 542 | 10 | 3 | Jun-Jul |
| Swift Setwing | Dythemis velox | 340 | 6 | 2 | Jul-Aug |
| Rainbow Bluet | Enallagma antennatum | 458 | 2 | 2 | Jun |
| Elusive Clubtail | Stylurus notatus | 101 | 82 | 1 | Sep |
| Arrow Clubtail | Stylurus spiniceps | 305 | 7 | 1 | late Aug-early Sep |
| Smoky Shadowdragon | Neurocordulia molesta | 18 | 4 | 1 | Jun |
| Band-winged Dragonlet | Erythrodiplax umbrata | 16 | 4 | 1 | Jun-Aug |
| Rambur's Forktail | Ischnura ramburii | 15 | 4 | 1 | Jul |
| Elegant Spreadwing | Lestes inaequalis | 479 | 3 | 1 | Jun |
| Sedge Sprite | Nehalennia irene | 359 | 3 | 1 | Jun |
| Jade Clubtail | Arigomphus submedianus | 106 | 3 | 1 | late Jun-late Aug |
| Lilypad Forktail | Ischnura kellicotti | 733 | 2 | 1 | Jun-Sep |
| Smoky Rubyspot | Hetaerina titia | 346 | 2 | 1 | early Sep |
| Dot-tailed Whiteface | Leucorrhinia intacta | 1,357 | 1 | 1 | early Jun |
| Gray Petaltail | Tachopteryx thoreyi | 390 | 1 | 1 | Jun |
| Rapids Clubtail | Phanogomphus quadricolor | 287 | 1 | 1 | Jun |
| Four-spotted Skimmer | Libellula quadrimaculata | 285 | 1 | 1 | Jun |
| Handsome Clubtail | Gomphurus crassus | 170 | 1 | 1 | late May-early Jun |
| Variegated Meadowhawk | Sympetrum corruptum | 117 | 1 | 1 | Apr-Sep |
| Slender Baskettail | Epitheca costalis | 19 | 1 | 1 | late May |
| Tule Bluet | Enallagma carunculatum | 498 | 0 | 0 | Jun-Jul |
| Clamp-tipped Emerald | Somatochlora tenebrosa | 208 | 0 | 0 | Aug |
| Twin-spotted Spiketail | Cordulegaster maculata | 90 | 0 | 0 | late May-mid Jun |
| Uhler's Sundragon | Helocordulia uhleri | 55 | 0 | 0 | May |
| Golden-winged Skimmer | Libellula auripennis | 44 | 0 | 0 | late Jun |
| Riverine Clubtail | Stylurus amnicola | 15 | 0 | 0 | Aug |
| Umber Shadowdragon | Neurocordulia obsoleta | 6 | 0 | 0 | Jun |
Located entirely within the Till Plains ecoregion, Butler County is bisected by the Great Miami River, which flows from the NE corner to the SE (see Great Miami River Watershed).
Places to Visit
See "Clubtails of the Great Miami" in issue 30-11 of the Ohio Dragon Flier. Includes map and suggested river access points. See also Great Miami River Water Trail Map for river access points, and facilities.
County Observation Activity
This graph shows the total number of odonata observations for the county in brown, with the average for all Ohio counties in blue. The season is divided into 10 or 11 day segments by Month – basically early-month, mid-month, and late-month.
Page updated 21 February 2024