Madison County
Known species: 70
Total Observations: 2,859
Population: 43,277
Area in Square Miles: 466
People per Square Mile: 93
Observations per Square Mile: 4.9
Percent of State Species: 40%
Percent of State Observations: 1.1%
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 | Madison Total | Ohio Total | Madison 2024 | Last Sighted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern Forktail | Ischnura verticalis | 245 | 15,992 | 32 | 2024 |
| Eastern Pondhawk | Erythemis simplicicollis | 234 | 16,365 | 57 | 2024 |
| Eastern Amberwing | Perithemis tenera | 185 | 10,887 | 54 | 2024 |
| Ebony Jewelwing | Calopteryx maculata | 160 | 8,606 | 37 | 2024 |
| Orange Bluet | Enallagma signatum | 157 | 3,791 | 30 | 2024 |
| Fragile Forktail | Ischnura posita | 157 | 13,199 | 27 | 2024 |
| Blue Dasher | Pachydiplax longipennis | 151 | 15,601 | 16 | 2024 |
| Widow Skimmer | Libellula luctuosa | 148 | 11,931 | 16 | 2024 |
| Double-striped Bluet | Enallagma basidens | 128 | 5,343 | 27 | 2024 |
| Blue-ringed Dancer | Argia sedula | 108 | 2,837 | 27 | 2024 |
| Stream Bluet | Enallagma exsulans | 101 | 4,803 | 33 | 2024 |
| Calico Pennant | Celithemis elisa | 97 | 3,194 | 12 | 2024 |
| Blue-tipped Dancer | Argia tibialis | 93 | 4,492 | 31 | 2024 |
| Common Whitetail | Plathemis lydia | 85 | 12,022 | 20 | 2024 |
| Halloween Pennant | Celithemis eponina | 75 | 4,187 | 9 | 2024 |
| Blue-fronted Dancer | Argia apicalis | 59 | 6,584 | 9 | 2024 |
| Powdered Dancer | Argia moesta | 57 | 5,141 | 16 | 2024 |
| Familiar Bluet | Enallagma civile | 57 | 6,173 | 7 | 2024 |
| Skimming Bluet | Enallagma geminatum | 51 | 3,832 | 32 | 2024 |
| Violet Dancer | Argia fumipennis violacea | 46 | 7,557 | 6 | 2024 |
| Prince Baskettail | Epitheca princeps | 38 | 2,788 | 8 | 2024 |
| American Rubyspot | Hetaerina americana | 35 | 4,444 | 0 | 2021 |
| Common Green Darner | Anax junius | 32 | 5,160 | 8 | 2024 |
| Autumn Meadowhawk | Sympetrum vicinum | 31 | 8,456 | 0 | 2023 |
| Vesper Bluet | Enallagma vesperum | 28 | 922 | 19 | 2024 |
| Black Saddlebags | Tramea lacerata | 28 | 3,380 | 5 | 2024 |
| Slender Spreadwing | Lestes rectangularis | 28 | 3,904 | 2 | 2024 |
| Twelve-spotted Skimmer | Libellula pulchella | 20 | 3,740 | 4 | 2024 |
| Fawn Darner | Boyeria vinosa | 15 | 519 | 0 | 2023 |
| Westfall's Slender Bluet | Enallagma traviatum westfalli | 14 | 2,367 | 3 | 2024 |
| Citrine Forktail | Ischnura hastata | 14 | 962 | 0 | 2022 |
| Unicorn Clubtail | Arigomphus villosipes | 12 | 2,065 | 2 | 2024 |
| Swamp Spreadwing | Lestes vigilax | 10 | 608 | 3 | 2024 |
| Turquoise Bluet | Enallagma divagans | 10 | 918 | 1 | 2024 |
| Spotted Spreadwing | Lestes congener | 9 | 860 | 0 | 2021 |
| Flag-tailed Spinyleg | Dromogomphus spoliatus | 8 | 809 | 0 | 2019 |
| Royal River Cruiser | Macromia taeniolata | 8 | 598 | 0 | 2023 |
| Cyrano Darner | Nasiaeschna pentacantha | 8 | 321 | 0 | 2022 |
| Dusky Dancer | Argia translata | 7 | 1,681 | 2 | 2024 |
| Shadow Darner | Aeshna umbrosa | 7 | 1,187 | 1 | 2024 |
| Rainbow Bluet | Enallagma antennatum | 7 | 485 | 1 | 2024 |
| Rusty Snaketail | Ophiogomphus rupinsulensis | 7 | 348 | 1 | 2024 |
| Springtime Darner | Basiaeschna janata | 6 | 374 | 6 | 2024 |
| Swift Setwing | Dythemis velox | 6 | 447 | 4 | 2024 |
| Wandering Glider | Pantala flavescens | 6 | 1,523 | 2 | 2024 |
| Ashy Clubtail | Phanogomphus lividus | 6 | 1,009 | 2 | 2024 |
| Dragonhunter | Hagenius brevistylus | 6 | 589 | 1 | 2024 |
| Black-shouldered Spinyleg | Dromogomphus spinosus | 6 | 671 | 0 | 2019 |
| Carolina Saddlebags | Tramea carolina | 5 | 1,263 | 0 | 2019 |
| Blue-faced Meadowhawk | Sympetrum ambiguum | 4 | 1,452 | 2 | 2024 |
| Painted Skimmer | Libellula semifasciata | 4 | 1,208 | 2 | 2024 |
| Azure Bluet | Enallagma aspersum | 4 | 2,488 | 1 | 2024 |
| Ruby Meadowhawk | Sympetrum rubicundulum | 4 | 965 | 0 | 2013 |
| Swift River Cruiser | Macromia illinoiensis | 4 | 760 | 0 | 2021 |
| Pronghorn Clubtail | Phanogomphus graslinellus | 3 | 503 | 2 | 2024 |
| Slaty Skimmer | Libellula incesta | 3 | 4,920 | 0 | 2018 |
| Swamp Darner | Epiaeschna heros | 3 | 715 | 0 | 2022 |
| Comet Darner | Anax longipes | 3 | 605 | 0 | 2019 |
| Common Baskettail | Epitheca cynosura | 2 | 874 | 1 | 2024 |
| Macromia Hybrid | Macromia pacifica x taeniolata | 2 | 100 | 1 | 2024 |
| Spangled Skimmer | Libellula cyanea | 2 | 1,197 | 0 | 2022 |
| Midland Clubtail | Gomphurus fraternus | 2 | 927 | 0 | 1922 |
| Eastern Red Damsel | Amphiagrion saucium | 1 | 1,420 | 0 | 1995 |
| Blue Corporal | Ladona deplanata | 1 | 601 | 0 | 2015 |
| Aurora Damsel | Chromagrion conditum | 1 | 576 | 0 | 1961 |
| Spot-winged Glider | Pantala hymenaea | 1 | 562 | 0 | 2018 |
| Sweetflag Spreadwing | Lestes forcipatus | 1 | 514 | 0 | 2022 |
| Southern Spreadwing | Lestes australis | 1 | 284 | 0 | 2019 |
| Handsome Clubtail | Gomphurus crassus | 1 | 209 | 0 | 1920 |
| Gilded River Cruiser | Macromia pacifica | 1 | 88 | 0 | 2018 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lancet Clubtail | Phanogomphus exilis | 1,803 | 123 | 6 | early Jun |
| Great Blue Skimmer | Libellula vibrans | 501 | 96 | 6 | Jun-Jul |
| Red Saddlebags | Tramea onusta | 146 | 30 | 6 | Jun-Jul |
| Emerald Spreadwing | Lestes dryas | 567 | 24 | 6 | Jun |
| Great Spreadwing | Archilestes grandis | 959 | 99 | 5 | Sep |
| Variegated Meadowhawk | Sympetrum corruptum | 149 | 48 | 5 | Apr-Sep |
| Rapids Clubtail | Phanogomphus quadricolor | 377 | 98 | 4 | Jun |
| Four-spotted Skimmer | Libellula quadrimaculata | 295 | 43 | 4 | Jun |
| Banded Pennant | Celithemis fasciata | 860 | 12 | 4 | Jul |
| Elegant Spreadwing | Lestes inaequalis | 580 | 9 | 4 | Jun |
| Seepage Dancer | Argia bipunctulata | 1,230 | 1038 | 3 | Jun-Jul |
| Paiute Dancer | Argia alberta | 369 | 338 | 3 | Jun |
| Band-winged Meadowhawk | Sympetrum semicinctum | 931 | 266 | 3 | Jul-Aug |
| Brown Spiketail | Zoraena bilineata | 240 | 145 | 3 | late May-early Jun |
| Dot-tailed Whiteface | Leucorrhinia intacta | 1,702 | 122 | 3 | early Jun |
| Clamp-tipped Emerald | Somatochlora tenebrosa | 217 | 66 | 3 | Aug |
| Spatterdock Darner | Rhionaeschna mutata | 396 | 30 | 3 | Jun |
| Mocha Emerald | Somatochlora linearis | 202 | 5 | 3 | late Jun-late Aug |
| Tule Bluet | Enallagma carunculatum | 569 | 252 | 2 | Jun-Jul |
| Sphagnum Sprite | Nehalennia gracilis | 443 | 109 | 2 | late Jun-early Jul |
| Gray Petaltail | Tachopteryx thoreyi | 446 | 72 | 2 | Jun |
| Dusky Clubtail | Phanogomphus spicatus | 258 | 20 | 2 | early Jun |
| Arrow Clubtail | Stylurus spiniceps | 321 | 19 | 2 | late Aug-early Sep |
| Amber-winged Spreadwing | Lestes eurinus | 706 | 9 | 2 | Jun-Jul |
| White-faced Meadowhawk | Sympetrum obtrusum | 305 | 9 | 2 | Sep |
| Russet-tipped Clubtail | Stylurus plagiatus | 390 | 8 | 2 | Sep |
| Sedge Sprite | Nehalennia irene | 396 | 5 | 2 | Jun |
| Arrowhead Spiketail | Zoraena obliqua | 189 | 3 | 2 | late May-early Jun |
| Green-striped Darner | Aeshna verticalis | 342 | 2 | 2 | Sep |
| Lyre-tipped Spreadwing | Lestes unguiculatus | 210 | 2 | 2 | Jun-Jul |
| Eastern Ringtail | Erpetogomphus designatus | 177 | 2 | 2 | Aug |
| Golden-winged Skimmer | Libellula auripennis | 45 | 2 | 2 | late Jun |
| Elfin Skimmer | Nannothemis bella | 555 | 486 | 1 | Jun-Jul |
| Lilypad Forktail | Ischnura kellicotti | 858 | 193 | 1 | Jun-Sep |
| Splendid Clubtail | Gomphurus lineatifrons | 139 | 21 | 1 | Jun |
| Lance-tipped Darner | Aeshna constricta | 361 | 2 | 1 | Sep |
| Eastern Least Clubtail | Stylogomphus albistylus | 329 | 2 | 1 | Jun |
| Stygian Shadowdragon | Neurocordulia yamaskanensis | 68 | 2 | 1 | late Jun |
| Smoky Rubyspot | Hetaerina titia | 377 | 1 | 1 | early Sep |
| Stream Cruiser | Didymops transversa | 140 | 1 | 1 | May |
| Twin-spotted Spiketail | Zoraena maculata | 95 | 1 | 1 | late May-mid Jun |
| Northern Spreadwing | Lestes disjunctus | 24 | 1 | 1 | Jun-Aug |
| Band-winged Dragonlet | Erythrodiplax umbrata | 16 | 1 | 1 | Jun-Aug |
| Riverine Clubtail | Stylurus amnicola | 15 | 1 | 1 | Aug |
| Rambur's Forktail | Ischnura ramburii | 15 | 1 | 1 | Jul |
| Furtive Forktail | Ischnura prognata | 5 | 1 | 1 | |
| Cobra Clubtail | Gomphurus vastus | 471 | 0 | 0 | Jun |
| Plains Clubtail | Gomphurus externus | 236 | 0 | 0 | mid Jun-mid Jul |
| Green-faced Clubtail | Hylogomphus viridifrons | 98 | 0 | 0 | mid Jun |
| Hagen's Bluet | Enallagma hageni | 85 | 0 | 0 | Jun |
| River Jewelwing | Calopteryx aequabilis | 81 | 0 | 0 | early Jun |
| Marsh Bluet | Enallagma ebrium | 66 | 0 | 0 | mid Jun |
| Boreal Bluet | Enallagma boreale | 44 | 0 | 0 | Jun |
| Skillet Clubtail | Gomphurus ventricosus | 26 | 0 | 0 | Jun |
| Saffron-winged Meadowhawk | Sympetrum costiferum | 20 | 0 | 0 | Oct |
| Smoky Shadowdragon | Neurocordulia molesta | 18 | 0 | 0 | Jun |
| Allegheny River Cruiser | Macromia alleghaniensis | 16 | 0 | 0 | Jul |
| Taiga Bluet | Coenagrion resolutum | 4 | 0 | 0 | |
| Taper-tailed Darner | Gomphaeschna antilope | 3 | 0 | 0 | Jun |
| Atlantic Bluet | Enallagma doubledayi | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Madison County is in the Till Plains ecoregion. Big Darby Creek cuts across the NE corner, and North Fork Paint Creek rises in the county’s SW corner, both in the Scioto 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 3 January 2025