Hamilton County
Known species: 89
Total Observations: 4,724
Population: 804,520
Area in Square Miles: 406
People per Square Mile: 1,949
Observations per Square Mile: 11.6
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 | Hamilton Total | Ohio Total | Hamilton 2023 | Last Sighted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Dasher | Pachydiplax longipennis | 337 | 13,169 | 55 | 2023 |
| Eastern Pondhawk | Erythemis simplicicollis | 287 | 13,870 | 71 | 2023 |
| Blue-fronted Dancer | Argia apicalis | 233 | 5,692 | 59 | 2023 |
| Common Whitetail | Plathemis lydia | 230 | 9,898 | 59 | 2023 |
| Russet-tipped Clubtail | Stylurus plagiatus | 223 | 307 | 82 | 2023 |
| Widow Skimmer | Libellula luctuosa | 223 | 10,352 | 44 | 2023 |
| American Rubyspot | Hetaerina americana | 184 | 3,761 | 77 | 2023 |
| Eastern Forktail | Ischnura verticalis | 172 | 13,326 | 37 | 2023 |
| Eastern Amberwing | Perithemis tenera | 152 | 8,819 | 30 | 2023 |
| Halloween Pennant | Celithemis eponina | 147 | 3,628 | 27 | 2023 |
| Common Green Darner | Anax junius | 143 | 4,146 | 42 | 2023 |
| Familiar Bluet | Enallagma civile | 129 | 5,111 | 39 | 2023 |
| Fragile Forktail | Ischnura posita | 129 | 10,727 | 28 | 2023 |
| Ebony Jewelwing | Calopteryx maculata | 111 | 7,169 | 13 | 2023 |
| Black Saddlebags | Tramea lacerata | 100 | 2,839 | 20 | 2023 |
| Powdered Dancer | Argia moesta | 92 | 4,247 | 26 | 2023 |
| Blue-faced Meadowhawk | Sympetrum ambiguum | 87 | 1,204 | 7 | 2023 |
| Eastern Ringtail | Erpetogomphus designatus | 86 | 150 | 27 | 2023 |
| Elusive Clubtail | Stylurus notatus | 83 | 101 | 60 | 2023 |
| Wandering Glider | Pantala flavescens | 80 | 1,241 | 21 | 2023 |
| Twelve-spotted Skimmer | Libellula pulchella | 80 | 3,377 | 10 | 2023 |
| Stream Bluet | Enallagma exsulans | 78 | 4,097 | 32 | 2023 |
| Azure Bluet | Enallagma aspersum | 75 | 2,115 | 17 | 2023 |
| Carolina Saddlebags | Tramea carolina | 71 | 1,048 | 5 | 2023 |
| Cobra Clubtail | Gomphurus vastus | 66 | 377 | 5 | 2023 |
| Slender Spreadwing | Lestes rectangularis | 63 | 3,492 | 14 | 2023 |
| Prince Baskettail | Epitheca princeps | 61 | 2,390 | 18 | 2023 |
| Spot-winged Glider | Pantala hymenaea | 58 | 478 | 20 | 2023 |
| Autumn Meadowhawk | Sympetrum vicinum | 56 | 6,971 | 21 | 2023 |
| Skimming Bluet | Enallagma geminatum | 56 | 3,109 | 16 | 2023 |
| Great Spreadwing | Archilestes grandis | 56 | 824 | 10 | 2023 |
| Orange Bluet | Enallagma signatum | 52 | 3,184 | 16 | 2023 |
| Blue-tipped Dancer | Argia tibialis | 39 | 3,785 | 9 | 2023 |
| Dusky Dancer | Argia translata | 37 | 1,376 | 8 | 2023 |
| Violet Dancer | Argia fumipennis violacea | 36 | 6,247 | 13 | 2023 |
| Swift River Cruiser | Macromia illinoiensis | 36 | 688 | 10 | 2023 |
| Double-striped Bluet | Enallagma basidens | 32 | 4,313 | 10 | 2023 |
| Unicorn Clubtail | Arigomphus villosipes | 30 | 1,687 | 10 | 2023 |
| Spangled Skimmer | Libellula cyanea | 30 | 1,037 | 5 | 2023 |
| Slaty Skimmer | Libellula incesta | 29 | 4,032 | 9 | 2023 |
| Midland Clubtail | Gomphurus fraternus | 29 | 802 | 9 | 2023 |
| Calico Pennant | Celithemis elisa | 26 | 2,752 | 7 | 2023 |
| Flag-tailed Spinyleg | Dromogomphus spoliatus | 23 | 743 | 5 | 2023 |
| Royal River Cruiser | Macromia taeniolata | 22 | 536 | 8 | 2023 |
| Shadow Darner | Aeshna umbrosa | 21 | 1,031 | 12 | 2023 |
| Swamp Darner | Epiaeschna heros | 21 | 620 | 5 | 2023 |
| Painted Skimmer | Libellula semifasciata | 20 | 1,056 | 0 | 2022 |
| Blue-ringed Dancer | Argia sedula | 19 | 2,364 | 3 | 2023 |
| Comet Darner | Anax longipes | 17 | 515 | 2 | 2023 |
| Amber-winged Spreadwing | Lestes eurinus | 17 | 610 | 1 | 2023 |
| Dragonhunter | Hagenius brevistylus | 14 | 439 | 8 | 2023 |
| Citrine Forktail | Ischnura hastata | 14 | 899 | 0 | 2022 |
| Great Blue Skimmer | Libellula vibrans | 14 | 467 | 0 | 2022 |
| Westfall's Slender Bluet | Enallagma traviatum westfalli | 13 | 1,991 | 4 | 2023 |
| Spotted Spreadwing | Lestes congener | 11 | 731 | 1 | 2023 |
| Ruby Meadowhawk | Sympetrum rubicundulum | 11 | 942 | 0 | 2003 |
| Cyrano Darner | Nasiaeschna pentacantha | 10 | 277 | 3 | 2023 |
| Red Saddlebags | Tramea onusta | 10 | 145 | 3 | 2023 |
| Black-shouldered Spinyleg | Dromogomphus spinosus | 9 | 542 | 0 | 2021 |
| Smoky Shadowdragon | Neurocordulia molesta | 9 | 18 | 0 | 2020 |
| Blue Corporal | Ladona deplanata | 8 | 446 | 1 | 2023 |
| Arrow Clubtail | Stylurus spiniceps | 7 | 305 | 0 | 2021 |
| Common Baskettail | Epitheca cynosura | 6 | 748 | 1 | 2023 |
| White-faced Meadowhawk | Sympetrum obtrusum | 6 | 272 | 0 | 1997 |
| Lyre-tipped Spreadwing | Lestes unguiculatus | 6 | 180 | 0 | 1997 |
| Eastern Red Damsel | Amphiagrion saucium | 5 | 1,230 | 0 | 2022 |
| Swift Setwing | Dythemis velox | 5 | 340 | 0 | 2019 |
| Southern Spreadwing | Lestes australis | 5 | 255 | 0 | 2018 |
| Vesper Bluet | Enallagma vesperum | 4 | 740 | 2 | 2023 |
| Sweetflag Spreadwing | Lestes forcipatus | 4 | 443 | 2 | 2023 |
| Plains Clubtail | Gomphurus externus | 4 | 189 | 1 | 2023 |
| Fawn Darner | Boyeria vinosa | 4 | 440 | 0 | 1993 |
| Springtime Darner | Basiaeschna janata | 4 | 298 | 0 | 2021 |
| Band-winged Dragonlet | Erythrodiplax umbrata | 4 | 16 | 0 | 2006 |
| Rambur's Forktail | Ischnura ramburii | 4 | 15 | 0 | 2021 |
| Umber Shadowdragon | Neurocordulia obsoleta | 4 | 6 | 0 | 1994 |
| Banded Pennant | Celithemis fasciata | 3 | 684 | 2 | 2023 |
| Elegant Spreadwing | Lestes inaequalis | 3 | 479 | 0 | 2019 |
| Lance-tipped Darner | Aeshna constricta | 3 | 358 | 0 | 2015 |
| Riverine Clubtail | Stylurus amnicola | 3 | 15 | 0 | 1999 |
| Mocha Emerald | Somatochlora linearis | 2 | 192 | 1 | 2023 |
| Smoky Rubyspot | Hetaerina titia | 2 | 346 | 0 | 2009 |
| Dot-tailed Whiteface | Leucorrhinia intacta | 1 | 1,357 | 0 | 2020 |
| Tule Bluet | Enallagma carunculatum | 1 | 498 | 0 | 1896 |
| Spatterdock Darner | Rhionaeschna mutata | 1 | 335 | 0 | 2008 |
| Rapids Clubtail | Phanogomphus quadricolor | 1 | 287 | 0 | 2008 |
| Handsome Clubtail | Gomphurus crassus | 1 | 170 | 0 | 2007 |
| Variegated Meadowhawk | Sympetrum corruptum | 1 | 117 | 0 | 1896 |
| Golden-winged Skimmer | Libellula auripennis | 1 | 44 | 0 | 1899 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pronghorn Clubtail | Phanogomphus graslinellus | 451 | 15 | 2 | late May-early Jun |
| Arrowhead Spiketail | Cordulegaster obliqua | 172 | 13 | 2 | late May-early Jun |
| Four-spotted Skimmer | Libellula quadrimaculata | 285 | 7 | 2 | Jun |
| Ashy Clubtail | Phanogomphus lividus | 874 | 6 | 2 | late May-early Jun |
| Band-winged Meadowhawk | Sympetrum semicinctum | 860 | 3 | 2 | Jul-Aug |
| Lilypad Forktail | Ischnura kellicotti | 733 | 3 | 2 | Jun-Sep |
| Duckweed Firetail | Telebasis byersi | 14 | 14 | 1 | Jul |
| Emerald Spreadwing | Lestes dryas | 479 | 3 | 1 | Jun |
| Sedge Sprite | Nehalennia irene | 359 | 3 | 1 | Jun |
| Stygian Shadowdragon | Neurocordulia yamaskanensis | 68 | 2 | 1 | late Jun |
| Turquoise Bluet | Enallagma divagans | 768 | 1 | 1 | May-Jun |
| Swamp Spreadwing | Lestes vigilax | 544 | 1 | 1 | Jul |
| Rainbow Bluet | Enallagma antennatum | 458 | 1 | 1 | Jun |
| Gray Petaltail | Tachopteryx thoreyi | 390 | 1 | 1 | Jun |
| Double-ringed Pennant | Celithemis verna | 37 | 1 | 1 | late Jun |
| Striped Saddlebags | Tramea darwini | 33 | 1 | 1 | early Oct |
| Clamp-tipped Emerald | Somatochlora tenebrosa | 208 | 0 | 0 | Aug |
| Stream Cruiser | Didymops transversa | 121 | 0 | 0 | May |
| Twin-spotted Spiketail | Cordulegaster maculata | 90 | 0 | 0 | late May-mid Jun |
| Gilded River Cruiser | Macromia pacifica | 73 | 0 | 0 | late Jul |
| Uhler's Sundragon | Helocordulia uhleri | 55 | 0 | 0 | May |
Home to the major city of Cincinnati, Hamilton County is nearly evenly split between the Outer Bluegrass Region, which includes the western 1/3 of the county and its entire southern border, and the Till Plain in the NE corner. Located within the Great Miami River watershed, Great and Little Miami Rivers bisect the county, and it is bordered on the south by the Ohio River. This area of Ohio tends to have the longest odonate flight season in the state, especially in the spring.
Places to Visit
Otto Armleder Memorial Park. Pond and access to the Little Miami River. See “Clubtails of the Little Miami”, p. 13, issue 30-11 of the Ohio Dragon Flyer.
Great Miami River Water Trail Map shows 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