Clinton County
Known species county: 71
Total Observations county: 1,080
Population: 41,945
Area in Square Miles: 409
People per Square Mile: 102
Observations per Square Mile: 2.5
Percent of State Species: 41%
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 | Clinton Total | Ohio Total | Clinton 2024 | Last Sighted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern Forktail | Ischnura verticalis | 97 | 15,992 | 5 | 2024 |
| Eastern Pondhawk | Erythemis simplicicollis | 87 | 16,365 | 6 | 2024 |
| Eastern Amberwing | Perithemis tenera | 75 | 10,887 | 3 | 2024 |
| Fragile Forktail | Ischnura posita | 74 | 13,199 | 4 | 2024 |
| Widow Skimmer | Libellula luctuosa | 67 | 11,931 | 2 | 2024 |
| Blue-fronted Dancer | Argia apicalis | 62 | 6,584 | 1 | 2024 |
| Familiar Bluet | Enallagma civile | 52 | 6,173 | 4 | 2024 |
| Common Whitetail | Plathemis lydia | 50 | 12,022 | 4 | 2024 |
| Orange Bluet | Enallagma signatum | 40 | 3,791 | 4 | 2024 |
| Blue Dasher | Pachydiplax longipennis | 40 | 15,601 | 3 | 2024 |
| Prince Baskettail | Epitheca princeps | 38 | 2,788 | 3 | 2024 |
| Violet Dancer | Argia fumipennis violacea | 30 | 7,557 | 0 | 2023 |
| Ebony Jewelwing | Calopteryx maculata | 28 | 8,606 | 3 | 2024 |
| Black Saddlebags | Tramea lacerata | 27 | 3,380 | 1 | 2024 |
| Double-striped Bluet | Enallagma basidens | 26 | 5,343 | 1 | 2024 |
| American Rubyspot | Hetaerina americana | 18 | 4,444 | 1 | 2024 |
| Blue-tipped Dancer | Argia tibialis | 17 | 4,492 | 1 | 2024 |
| Stream Bluet | Enallagma exsulans | 17 | 4,803 | 0 | 2023 |
| Common Green Darner | Anax junius | 15 | 5,160 | 3 | 2024 |
| Halloween Pennant | Celithemis eponina | 14 | 4,187 | 3 | 2024 |
| Unicorn Clubtail | Arigomphus villosipes | 13 | 2,065 | 0 | 2023 |
| Slaty Skimmer | Libellula incesta | 12 | 4,920 | 3 | 2024 |
| Twelve-spotted Skimmer | Libellula pulchella | 12 | 3,740 | 2 | 2024 |
| Calico Pennant | Celithemis elisa | 12 | 3,194 | 0 | 2019 |
| Flag-tailed Spinyleg | Dromogomphus spoliatus | 12 | 809 | 0 | 2022 |
| Autumn Meadowhawk | Sympetrum vicinum | 11 | 8,456 | 0 | 2023 |
| Skimming Bluet | Enallagma geminatum | 10 | 3,832 | 1 | 2024 |
| Blue-ringed Dancer | Argia sedula | 9 | 2,837 | 1 | 2024 |
| Fawn Darner | Boyeria vinosa | 9 | 519 | 0 | 1984 |
| Slender Spreadwing | Lestes rectangularis | 8 | 3,904 | 1 | 2024 |
| Powdered Dancer | Argia moesta | 8 | 5,141 | 0 | 2022 |
| Great Blue Skimmer | Libellula vibrans | 6 | 501 | 0 | 2019 |
| Westfall's Slender Bluet | Enallagma traviatum westfalli | 5 | 2,367 | 0 | 2022 |
| Wandering Glider | Pantala flavescens | 5 | 1,523 | 0 | 2019 |
| Blue-faced Meadowhawk | Sympetrum ambiguum | 5 | 1,452 | 0 | 2022 |
| Painted Skimmer | Libellula semifasciata | 5 | 1,208 | 0 | 1962 |
| Azure Bluet | Enallagma aspersum | 4 | 2,488 | 0 | 2019 |
| Carolina Saddlebags | Tramea carolina | 4 | 1,263 | 0 | 2023 |
| Ruby Meadowhawk | Sympetrum rubicundulum | 4 | 965 | 0 | 2023 |
| Great Spreadwing | Archilestes grandis | 4 | 959 | 0 | 1961 |
| Comet Darner | Anax longipes | 4 | 605 | 0 | 2019 |
| Royal River Cruiser | Macromia taeniolata | 4 | 598 | 0 | 2022 |
| Dusky Dancer | Argia translata | 3 | 1,681 | 0 | 2022 |
| Citrine Forktail | Ischnura hastata | 3 | 962 | 0 | 2019 |
| Dragonhunter | Hagenius brevistylus | 2 | 589 | 1 | 2024 |
| Shadow Darner | Aeshna umbrosa | 2 | 1,187 | 0 | 2020 |
| Spotted Spreadwing | Lestes congener | 2 | 860 | 0 | 1960 |
| Spot-winged Glider | Pantala hymenaea | 2 | 562 | 0 | 2019 |
| Sweetflag Spreadwing | Lestes forcipatus | 2 | 514 | 0 | 1960 |
| Rainbow Bluet | Enallagma antennatum | 2 | 485 | 0 | 2022 |
| Red Saddlebags | Tramea onusta | 2 | 146 | 0 | 2019 |
| Lancet Clubtail | Phanogomphus exilis | 1 | 1,803 | 0 | 2021 |
| Eastern Red Damsel | Amphiagrion saucium | 1 | 1,420 | 0 | 1962 |
| Spangled Skimmer | Libellula cyanea | 1 | 1,197 | 0 | 2019 |
| Ashy Clubtail | Phanogomphus lividus | 1 | 1,009 | 0 | 1993 |
| Band-winged Meadowhawk | Sympetrum semicinctum | 1 | 931 | 0 | 1956 |
| Vesper Bluet | Enallagma vesperum | 1 | 922 | 0 | 2018 |
| Turquoise Bluet | Enallagma divagans | 1 | 918 | 0 | 1937 |
| Common Baskettail | Epitheca cynosura | 1 | 874 | 0 | 1962 |
| Swamp Darner | Epiaeschna heros | 1 | 715 | 0 | 2021 |
| Blue Corporal | Ladona deplanata | 1 | 601 | 0 | 2019 |
| Tule Bluet | Enallagma carunculatum | 1 | 569 | 0 | 2023 |
| Pronghorn Clubtail | Phanogomphus graslinellus | 1 | 503 | 0 | 1960 |
| Gray Petaltail | Tachopteryx thoreyi | 1 | 446 | 0 | 1956 |
| Springtime Darner | Basiaeschna janata | 1 | 374 | 0 | 1961 |
| Lance-tipped Darner | Aeshna constricta | 1 | 361 | 0 | 1956 |
| Cyrano Darner | Nasiaeschna pentacantha | 1 | 321 | 0 | 2023 |
| White-faced Meadowhawk | Sympetrum obtrusum | 1 | 305 | 0 | 1960 |
| Southern Spreadwing | Lestes australis | 1 | 284 | 0 | 1960 |
| Lyre-tipped Spreadwing | Lestes unguiculatus | 1 | 210 | 0 | 1960 |
| Mocha Emerald | Somatochlora linearis | 1 | 202 | 0 | 1962 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Midland Clubtail | Gomphurus fraternus | 927 | 36 | 6 | late May-mid Jun |
| Black-shouldered Spinyleg | Dromogomphus spinosus | 671 | 36 | 5 | Jun-Jul |
| Swift River Cruiser | Macromia illinoiensis | 760 | 35 | 4 | Jul-Aug |
| Banded Pennant | Celithemis fasciata | 860 | 70 | 3 | Jul |
| Amber-winged Spreadwing | Lestes eurinus | 706 | 32 | 3 | Jun-Jul |
| Variegated Meadowhawk | Sympetrum corruptum | 149 | 31 | 3 | Apr-Sep |
| Eastern Ringtail | Erpetogomphus designatus | 177 | 17 | 3 | Aug |
| Four-spotted Skimmer | Libellula quadrimaculata | 295 | 13 | 3 | Jun |
| Rapids Clubtail | Phanogomphus quadricolor | 377 | 5 | 3 | Jun |
| Arrow Clubtail | Stylurus spiniceps | 321 | 17 | 2 | late Aug-early Sep |
| Spatterdock Darner | Rhionaeschna mutata | 396 | 16 | 2 | Jun |
| Cobra Clubtail | Gomphurus vastus | 471 | 12 | 2 | Jun |
| Swift Setwing | Dythemis velox | 447 | 11 | 2 | Jul-Aug |
| Swamp Spreadwing | Lestes vigilax | 608 | 10 | 2 | Jul |
| Lilypad Forktail | Ischnura kellicotti | 858 | 4 | 2 | Jun-Sep |
| Handsome Clubtail | Gomphurus crassus | 209 | 3 | 2 | late May-early Jun |
| Stream Cruiser | Didymops transversa | 140 | 3 | 2 | May |
| Sphagnum Sprite | Nehalennia gracilis | 443 | 59 | 1 | late Jun-early Jul |
| Paiute Dancer | Argia alberta | 369 | 18 | 1 | Jun |
| Duckweed Firetail | Telebasis byersi | 14 | 14 | 1 | Jul |
| Arrowhead Spiketail | Zoraena obliqua | 189 | 10 | 1 | late May-early Jun |
| Brown Spiketail | Zoraena bilineata | 240 | 9 | 1 | late May-early Jun |
| Emerald Spreadwing | Lestes dryas | 567 | 8 | 1 | Jun |
| Seepage Dancer | Argia bipunctulata | 1,230 | 5 | 1 | Jun-Jul |
| Clamp-tipped Emerald | Somatochlora tenebrosa | 217 | 5 | 1 | Aug |
| Russet-tipped Clubtail | Stylurus plagiatus | 390 | 4 | 1 | Sep |
| Sedge Sprite | Nehalennia irene | 396 | 3 | 1 | Jun |
| Smoky Shadowdragon | Neurocordulia molesta | 18 | 3 | 1 | Jun |
| Stygian Shadowdragon | Neurocordulia yamaskanensis | 68 | 2 | 1 | late Jun |
| Dot-tailed Whiteface | Leucorrhinia intacta | 1,702 | 1 | 1 | early Jun |
| Elegant Spreadwing | Lestes inaequalis | 580 | 1 | 1 | Jun |
| Rusty Snaketail | Ophiogomphus rupinsulensis | 348 | 1 | 1 | Jun |
| Eastern Least Clubtail | Stylogomphus albistylus | 329 | 1 | 1 | Jun |
| Elusive Clubtail | Stylurus notatus | 137 | 1 | 1 | Sep |
| Gilded River Cruiser | Macromia pacifica | 88 | 1 | 1 | late Jul |
| 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 |
| Riverine Clubtail | Stylurus amnicola | 15 | 1 | 1 | Aug |
| Aurora Damsel | Chromagrion conditum | 576 | 0 | 0 | late May-early Jun |
| Smoky Rubyspot | Hetaerina titia | 377 | 0 | 0 | early Sep |
| Tiger Spiketail | Zoraena erronea | 126 | 0 | 0 | Jul |
| Twin-spotted Spiketail | Zoraena maculata | 95 | 0 | 0 | late May-mid Jun |
| Uhler's Sundragon | Helocordulia uhleri | 63 | 0 | 0 | May |
| Taiga Bluet | Coenagrion resolutum | 4 | 0 | 0 |
Clinton County is located in the Till Plains ecoregion. The entire county is within the watershed of the Little Miami River, and the East Fork Little Miami runs though the county’s SE corner (see Great Miami River Watershed).
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