Geauga County
Known species: 112
Total Observations: 5,605
Population: 93,972
Area in Square Miles: 400
People per Square Mile: 230
Observations per Square Mile: 14.0
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 | Geauga Total | Ohio Total | Geauga 2023 | Last Sighted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern Forktail | Ischnura verticalis | 316 | 13,326 | 33 | 2023 |
| Eastern Pondhawk | Erythemis simplicicollis | 308 | 13,870 | 32 | 2023 |
| Blue Dasher | Pachydiplax longipennis | 279 | 13,169 | 27 | 2023 |
| Fragile Forktail | Ischnura posita | 265 | 10,727 | 43 | 2023 |
| Skimming Bluet | Enallagma geminatum | 219 | 3,109 | 44 | 2023 |
| Ebony Jewelwing | Calopteryx maculata | 213 | 7,169 | 23 | 2023 |
| Autumn Meadowhawk | Sympetrum vicinum | 199 | 6,971 | 25 | 2023 |
| Common Whitetail | Plathemis lydia | 187 | 9,898 | 19 | 2023 |
| Slaty Skimmer | Libellula incesta | 176 | 4,032 | 15 | 2023 |
| Violet Dancer | Argia fumipennis violacea | 171 | 6,247 | 22 | 2023 |
| Eastern Amberwing | Perithemis tenera | 171 | 8,819 | 13 | 2023 |
| Dot-tailed Whiteface | Leucorrhinia intacta | 161 | 1,357 | 14 | 2023 |
| Widow Skimmer | Libellula luctuosa | 154 | 10,352 | 13 | 2023 |
| Lilypad Forktail | Ischnura kellicotti | 121 | 733 | 30 | 2023 |
| Lancet Clubtail | Phanogomphus exilis | 108 | 1,518 | 11 | 2023 |
| Common Green Darner | Anax junius | 98 | 4,146 | 12 | 2023 |
| Elegant Spreadwing | Lestes inaequalis | 92 | 479 | 15 | 2023 |
| Slender Spreadwing | Lestes rectangularis | 92 | 3,492 | 5 | 2023 |
| Halloween Pennant | Celithemis eponina | 90 | 3,628 | 5 | 2023 |
| Harlequin Darner | Gomphaeschna furcillata | 78 | 106 | 7 | 2023 |
| Stream Bluet | Enallagma exsulans | 77 | 4,097 | 12 | 2023 |
| Westfall's Slender Bluet | Enallagma traviatum westfalli | 76 | 1,991 | 4 | 2023 |
| Orange Bluet | Enallagma signatum | 73 | 3,184 | 7 | 2023 |
| Twelve-spotted Skimmer | Libellula pulchella | 70 | 3,377 | 7 | 2023 |
| Unicorn Clubtail | Arigomphus villosipes | 67 | 1,687 | 17 | 2023 |
| Azure Bluet | Enallagma aspersum | 66 | 2,115 | 9 | 2023 |
| River Jewelwing | Calopteryx aequabilis | 64 | 77 | 10 | 2023 |
| Blue-tipped Dancer | Argia tibialis | 63 | 3,785 | 4 | 2023 |
| Spotted Spreadwing | Lestes congener | 61 | 731 | 11 | 2023 |
| Amber-winged Spreadwing | Lestes eurinus | 55 | 610 | 5 | 2023 |
| Swamp Spreadwing | Lestes vigilax | 55 | 544 | 0 | 2022 |
| Ashy Clubtail | Phanogomphus lividus | 54 | 874 | 12 | 2023 |
| Familiar Bluet | Enallagma civile | 52 | 5,111 | 3 | 2023 |
| Aurora Damsel | Chromagrion conditum | 51 | 471 | 15 | 2023 |
| Common Baskettail | Epitheca cynosura | 51 | 748 | 4 | 2023 |
| Ruby Meadowhawk | Sympetrum rubicundulum | 51 | 942 | 1 | 2023 |
| Black Saddlebags | Tramea lacerata | 47 | 2,839 | 3 | 2023 |
| Vesper Bluet | Enallagma vesperum | 44 | 740 | 6 | 2023 |
| Prince Baskettail | Epitheca princeps | 42 | 2,390 | 3 | 2023 |
| Fawn Darner | Boyeria vinosa | 39 | 440 | 0 | 2022 |
| White-faced Meadowhawk | Sympetrum obtrusum | 36 | 272 | 0 | 2022 |
| Turquoise Bluet | Enallagma divagans | 35 | 768 | 8 | 2023 |
| Eastern Red Damsel | Amphiagrion saucium | 33 | 1,230 | 8 | 2023 |
| Spatterdock Darner | Rhionaeschna mutata | 32 | 335 | 5 | 2023 |
| Cyrano Darner | Nasiaeschna pentacantha | 30 | 277 | 1 | 2023 |
| Springtime Darner | Basiaeschna janata | 29 | 298 | 5 | 2023 |
| Lilypad Clubtail | Arigomphus furcifer | 29 | 113 | 5 | 2023 |
| Painted Skimmer | Libellula semifasciata | 27 | 1,056 | 4 | 2023 |
| Eastern Least Clubtail | Stylogomphus albistylus | 24 | 262 | 4 | 2023 |
| Sweetflag Spreadwing | Lestes forcipatus | 24 | 443 | 1 | 2023 |
| Shadow Darner | Aeshna umbrosa | 23 | 1,031 | 2 | 2023 |
| Band-winged Meadowhawk | Sympetrum semicinctum | 23 | 860 | 0 | 2022 |
| Lance-tipped Darner | Aeshna constricta | 22 | 358 | 0 | 2009 |
| Twin-spotted Spiketail | Cordulegaster maculata | 21 | 90 | 5 | 2023 |
| Sedge Sprite | Nehalennia irene | 21 | 359 | 1 | 2023 |
| Calico Pennant | Celithemis elisa | 20 | 2,752 | 2 | 2023 |
| Delta-spotted Spiketail | Cordulegaster diastatops | 18 | 131 | 0 | 2021 |
| Swamp Darner | Epiaeschna heros | 17 | 620 | 1 | 2023 |
| Black-tipped Darner | Aeshna tuberculifera | 17 | 141 | 1 | 2023 |
| Ocellated Darner | Boyeria grafiana | 17 | 50 | 1 | 2023 |
| Carolina Saddlebags | Tramea carolina | 16 | 1,048 | 2 | 2023 |
| Emerald Spreadwing | Lestes dryas | 16 | 479 | 0 | 2022 |
| Dragonhunter | Hagenius brevistylus | 16 | 439 | 0 | 2022 |
| Rainbow Bluet | Enallagma antennatum | 15 | 458 | 2 | 2023 |
| Double-striped Bluet | Enallagma basidens | 15 | 4,313 | 0 | 2021 |
| Racket-tailed Emerald | Dorocordulia libera | 15 | 64 | 0 | 2020 |
| Southern Pygmy Clubtail | Lanthus vernalis | 14 | 113 | 3 | 2023 |
| Green-striped Darner | Aeshna verticalis | 13 | 262 | 1 | 2023 |
| American Rubyspot | Hetaerina americana | 13 | 3,761 | 0 | 2021 |
| Hagen's Bluet | Enallagma hageni | 13 | 84 | 0 | 2020 |
| Sphagnum Sprite | Nehalennia gracilis | 12 | 370 | 0 | 2022 |
| Laura's Clubtail | Stylurus laurae | 12 | 50 | 0 | 2022 |
| Great Spreadwing | Archilestes grandis | 11 | 824 | 1 | 2023 |
| Riffle Snaketail | Ophiogomphus carolus | 11 | 35 | 0 | 1995 |
| Powdered Dancer | Argia moesta | 10 | 4,247 | 1 | 2023 |
| Spot-winged Glider | Pantala hymenaea | 8 | 478 | 0 | 2022 |
| Great Blue Skimmer | Libellula vibrans | 8 | 467 | 0 | 2019 |
| Gray Petaltail | Tachopteryx thoreyi | 8 | 390 | 0 | 2022 |
| Clamp-tipped Emerald | Somatochlora tenebrosa | 8 | 208 | 0 | 2021 |
| Beaverpond Baskettail | Epitheca canis | 8 | 38 | 0 | 2015 |
| Four-spotted Skimmer | Libellula quadrimaculata | 7 | 285 | 5 | 2023 |
| Wandering Glider | Pantala flavescens | 7 | 1,241 | 0 | 2021 |
| Marsh Bluet | Enallagma ebrium | 7 | 66 | 0 | 2006 |
| Citrine Forktail | Ischnura hastata | 6 | 899 | 0 | 2021 |
| Comet Darner | Anax longipes | 6 | 515 | 0 | 2021 |
| Tule Bluet | Enallagma carunculatum | 6 | 498 | 0 | 2022 |
| Southern Spreadwing | Lestes australis | 6 | 255 | 0 | 2018 |
| Arrowhead Spiketail | Cordulegaster obliqua | 6 | 172 | 0 | 2021 |
| Blue-fronted Dancer | Argia apicalis | 5 | 5,692 | 0 | 2015 |
| Northern Bluet | Enallagma annexum | 5 | 65 | 0 | 1980 |
| Royal River Cruiser | Macromia taeniolata | 4 | 536 | 1 | 2023 |
| Mocha Emerald | Somatochlora linearis | 4 | 192 | 0 | 2022 |
| Dusky Clubtail | Phanogomphus spicatus | 4 | 191 | 0 | 2021 |
| Lyre-tipped Spreadwing | Lestes unguiculatus | 4 | 180 | 0 | 2010 |
| Frosted Whiteface | Leucorrhinia frigida | 4 | 29 | 0 | 1936 |
| Northern Pygmy Clubtail | Lanthus parvulus | 4 | 7 | 0 | 2004 |
| Spangled Skimmer | Libellula cyanea | 3 | 1,037 | 0 | 2022 |
| Tiger Spiketail | Cordulegaster erronea | 3 | 106 | 0 | 2007 |
| Macromia Hybrid | Macromia pacifica x taeniolata | 3 | 90 | 0 | 2022 |
| Boreal Bluet | Enallagma boreale | 3 | 44 | 0 | 1983 |
| Band-winged Dragonlet | Erythrodiplax umbrata | 3 | 16 | 0 | 2007 |
| Rapids Clubtail | Phanogomphus quadricolor | 2 | 287 | 1 | 2023 |
| Red Saddlebags | Tramea onusta | 2 | 145 | 0 | 1965 |
| Slender Baskettail | Epitheca costalis | 2 | 19 | 0 | 2020 |
| American Emerald | Cordulia shurtleffii | 2 | 14 | 0 | 1973 |
| Black-shouldered Spinyleg | Dromogomphus spinosus | 1 | 542 | 0 | 1932 |
| Arrow Clubtail | Stylurus spiniceps | 1 | 305 | 0 | 2009 |
| Rusty Snaketail | Ophiogomphus rupinsulensis | 1 | 245 | 0 | 1942 |
| Stream Cruiser | Didymops transversa | 1 | 121 | 0 | 2022 |
| Northern Spreadwing | Lestes disjunctus | 1 | 24 | 0 | 1975 |
| Rambur's Forktail | Ischnura ramburii | 1 | 15 | 0 | 1997 |
| Taiga Bluet | Coenagrion resolutum | 1 | 4 | 0 | 1993 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue-ringed Dancer | Argia sedula | 2,364 | 285 | 5 | Jul |
| Dusky Dancer | Argia translata | 1,376 | 98 | 5 | Jul |
| Swift River Cruiser | Macromia illinoiensis | 688 | 30 | 5 | Jul-Aug |
| Blue-faced Meadowhawk | Sympetrum ambiguum | 1,204 | 25 | 4 | late Aug-mid Sep |
| Splendid Clubtail | Gomphurus lineatifrons | 95 | 41 | 3 | Jun |
| Variegated Meadowhawk | Sympetrum corruptum | 117 | 20 | 3 | Apr-Sep |
| Brush-tipped Emerald | Somatochlora walshii | 16 | 7 | 3 | mid Jun-mid Jul |
| Green-faced Clubtail | Hylogomphus viridifrons | 59 | 33 | 2 | mid Jun |
| Midland Clubtail | Gomphurus fraternus | 802 | 21 | 2 | late May-mid Jun |
| Golden-winged Skimmer | Libellula auripennis | 44 | 15 | 2 | late Jun |
| Chalk-fronted Corporal | Ladona julia | 59 | 4 | 2 | late May |
| Elfin Skimmer | Nannothemis bella | 485 | 20 | 1 | Jun-Jul |
| Plains Clubtail | Gomphurus externus | 189 | 2 | 1 | mid Jun-mid Jul |
| Scarlet Skimmer | Crocothemis servilia | 2 | 2 | 1 | Jul |
| Cobra Clubtail | Gomphurus vastus | 377 | 1 | 1 | Jun |
| Russet-tipped Clubtail | Stylurus plagiatus | 307 | 1 | 1 | Sep |
| Uhler's Sundragon | Helocordulia uhleri | 55 | 1 | 1 | May |
| Striped Saddlebags | Tramea darwini | 33 | 1 | 1 | early Oct |
| Flag-tailed Spinyleg | Dromogomphus spoliatus | 743 | 0 | 0 | late Jul |
| Banded Pennant | Celithemis fasciata | 684 | 0 | 0 | Jul |
| Canada Darner | Aeshna canadensis | 41 | 0 | 0 | Sep |
| Cherry-faced Meadowhawk | Sympetrum internum | 14 | 0 | 0 | Sep |
| Taper-tailed Darner | Gomphaeschna antilope | 3 | 0 | 0 | Jun |
Geauga County lies within the Glaciated Allegheny Plateau. The unusually complex drainage system in the county is the result of Illinoian and Wisconsinan glaciation (see p. 12 in Ohio Coastal Atlas: Chapter 2 for a detailed watershed map). The Cuyahoga River, Chagrin River, and Grand River all originate in Geauga County.
Places to Visit
Cuyahoga River Water Trail Map 1 shows river access points, parks, and facilities.
See “Clubtails of the Grand River” in The Ohio Dragon Flyer 31 1: 2022 January for a map and Grand River access suggestions.
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 20 February 2024