Morgan County
Known species: 69
Total Observations: 952
Population: 14,904
Area in Square Miles: 416
People per Square Mile: 35
Observations per Square Mile: 2.3
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 | Morgan Total | Ohio Total | Morgan 2023 | Last Sighted |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Eastern Pondhawk | Erythemis simplicicollis | 88 | 13,870 | 11 | 2023 |
Widow Skimmer | Libellula luctuosa | 60 | 10,352 | 3 | 2023 |
Eastern Amberwing | Perithemis tenera | 57 | 8,819 | 4 | 2023 |
Blue Dasher | Pachydiplax longipennis | 49 | 13,169 | 4 | 2023 |
Fragile Forktail | Ischnura posita | 48 | 10,727 | 18 | 2023 |
Blue-fronted Dancer | Argia apicalis | 42 | 5,692 | 1 | 2023 |
Double-striped Bluet | Enallagma basidens | 40 | 4,313 | 11 | 2023 |
Common Whitetail | Plathemis lydia | 34 | 9,898 | 6 | 2023 |
Dusky Dancer | Argia translata | 34 | 1,376 | 1 | 2023 |
Eastern Forktail | Ischnura verticalis | 33 | 13,326 | 5 | 2023 |
Lilypad Forktail | Ischnura kellicotti | 33 | 733 | 3 | 2023 |
Slaty Skimmer | Libellula incesta | 33 | 4,032 | 1 | 2023 |
Ebony Jewelwing | Calopteryx maculata | 28 | 7,169 | 0 | 2022 |
Orange Bluet | Enallagma signatum | 25 | 3,184 | 14 | 2023 |
Violet Dancer | Argia fumipennis violacea | 24 | 6,247 | 2 | 2023 |
Halloween Pennant | Celithemis eponina | 24 | 3,628 | 0 | 2022 |
Blue-ringed Dancer | Argia sedula | 22 | 2,364 | 6 | 2023 |
Spangled Skimmer | Libellula cyanea | 21 | 1,037 | 1 | 2023 |
Skimming Bluet | Enallagma geminatum | 16 | 3,109 | 5 | 2023 |
Prince Baskettail | Epitheca princeps | 16 | 2,390 | 5 | 2023 |
Calico Pennant | Celithemis elisa | 14 | 2,752 | 0 | 2022 |
Black Saddlebags | Tramea lacerata | 12 | 2,839 | 3 | 2023 |
Unicorn Clubtail | Arigomphus villosipes | 12 | 1,687 | 1 | 2023 |
Stream Bluet | Enallagma exsulans | 12 | 4,097 | 0 | 2021 |
Black-shouldered Spinyleg | Dromogomphus spinosus | 12 | 542 | 0 | 2022 |
Lancet Clubtail | Phanogomphus exilis | 11 | 1,518 | 1 | 2023 |
Blue-tipped Dancer | Argia tibialis | 11 | 3,785 | 0 | 2019 |
Dot-tailed Whiteface | Leucorrhinia intacta | 10 | 1,357 | 4 | 2023 |
Royal River Cruiser | Macromia taeniolata | 9 | 536 | 0 | 1995 |
Eastern Red Damsel | Amphiagrion saucium | 7 | 1,230 | 5 | 2023 |
Common Green Darner | Anax junius | 7 | 4,146 | 1 | 2023 |
Twelve-spotted Skimmer | Libellula pulchella | 7 | 3,377 | 0 | 2020 |
Swamp Spreadwing | Lestes vigilax | 6 | 544 | 6 | 2023 |
Azure Bluet | Enallagma aspersum | 6 | 2,115 | 1 | 2023 |
Familiar Bluet | Enallagma civile | 6 | 5,111 | 0 | 2021 |
Banded Pennant | Celithemis fasciata | 6 | 684 | 0 | 2022 |
Autumn Meadowhawk | Sympetrum vicinum | 5 | 6,971 | 1 | 2023 |
Westfall's Slender Bluet | Enallagma traviatum westfalli | 5 | 1,991 | 1 | 2023 |
Common Baskettail | Epitheca cynosura | 5 | 748 | 1 | 2023 |
American Rubyspot | Hetaerina americana | 5 | 3,761 | 0 | 2018 |
Fawn Darner | Boyeria vinosa | 5 | 440 | 0 | 2020 |
Ruby Meadowhawk | Sympetrum rubicundulum | 4 | 942 | 0 | 1997 |
Swift River Cruiser | Macromia illinoiensis | 4 | 688 | 0 | 1988 |
Springtime Darner | Basiaeschna janata | 4 | 298 | 0 | 2020 |
Slender Spreadwing | Lestes rectangularis | 3 | 3,492 | 0 | 2021 |
Ashy Clubtail | Phanogomphus lividus | 3 | 874 | 0 | 1993 |
Blue Corporal | Ladona deplanata | 3 | 446 | 0 | 2022 |
Vesper Bluet | Enallagma vesperum | 2 | 740 | 2 | 2023 |
Swift Setwing | Dythemis velox | 2 | 340 | 1 | 2023 |
Powdered Dancer | Argia moesta | 2 | 4,247 | 0 | 2019 |
Midland Clubtail | Gomphurus fraternus | 2 | 802 | 0 | 1991 |
Flag-tailed Spinyleg | Dromogomphus spoliatus | 2 | 743 | 0 | 2022 |
Umber Shadowdragon | Neurocordulia obsoleta | 2 | 6 | 0 | 1988 |
Wandering Glider | Pantala flavescens | 1 | 1,241 | 0 | 2022 |
Blue-faced Meadowhawk | Sympetrum ambiguum | 1 | 1,204 | 0 | 2019 |
Carolina Saddlebags | Tramea carolina | 1 | 1,048 | 0 | 2019 |
Citrine Forktail | Ischnura hastata | 1 | 899 | 0 | 2021 |
Band-winged Meadowhawk | Sympetrum semicinctum | 1 | 860 | 0 | 1994 |
Great Spreadwing | Archilestes grandis | 1 | 824 | 0 | 1992 |
Amber-winged Spreadwing | Lestes eurinus | 1 | 610 | 0 | 1960 |
Elegant Spreadwing | Lestes inaequalis | 1 | 479 | 0 | 2018 |
Aurora Damsel | Chromagrion conditum | 1 | 471 | 0 | 1991 |
Great Blue Skimmer | Libellula vibrans | 1 | 467 | 0 | 1960 |
Dragonhunter | Hagenius brevistylus | 1 | 439 | 0 | 2019 |
Mocha Emerald | Somatochlora linearis | 1 | 192 | 0 | 2019 |
Twin-spotted Spiketail | Cordulegaster maculata | 1 | 90 | 0 | 1993 |
Gilded River Cruiser | Macromia pacifica | 1 | 73 | 0 | 1995 |
Stygian Shadowdragon | Neurocordulia yamaskanensis | 1 | 68 | 0 | 1989 |
Wabash River Cruiser | Macromia wabashensis | 1 | 25 | 0 | 1982 |
Emerald Spreadwing | Lestes dryas | 0 | 479 | 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 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Stream Cruiser | Didymops transversa | 121 | 17 | 5 | May |
Spot-winged Glider | Pantala hymenaea | 478 | 7 | 4 | Jul |
Arrowhead Spiketail | Cordulegaster obliqua | 172 | 5 | 4 | late May-early Jun |
Smoky Rubyspot | Hetaerina titia | 346 | 57 | 3 | early Sep |
Turquoise Bluet | Enallagma divagans | 768 | 14 | 3 | May-Jun |
Painted Skimmer | Libellula semifasciata | 1,056 | 9 | 3 | May |
Shadow Darner | Aeshna umbrosa | 1,031 | 6 | 3 | Sep-Oct |
Southern Spreadwing | Lestes australis | 255 | 6 | 3 | May |
Swamp Darner | Epiaeschna heros | 620 | 4 | 3 | late May-early Jun |
Comet Darner | Anax longipes | 515 | 14 | 2 | mid Jun-mid Jul |
Arrow Clubtail | Stylurus spiniceps | 305 | 10 | 2 | late Aug-early Sep |
Common Sanddragon | Progomphus obscurus | 141 | 7 | 2 | late Jun-mid Jul |
Sphagnum Sprite | Nehalennia gracilis | 370 | 4 | 2 | late Jun-early Jul |
Gray Petaltail | Tachopteryx thoreyi | 390 | 3 | 2 | Jun |
Cobra Clubtail | Gomphurus vastus | 377 | 3 | 2 | Jun |
Tiger Spiketail | Cordulegaster erronea | 106 | 3 | 2 | Jul |
Uhler's Sundragon | Helocordulia uhleri | 55 | 3 | 2 | May |
Elusive Clubtail | Stylurus notatus | 101 | 2 | 2 | Sep |
Rapids Clubtail | Phanogomphus quadricolor | 287 | 5 | 1 | Jun |
Russet-tipped Clubtail | Stylurus plagiatus | 307 | 3 | 1 | Sep |
Spotted Spreadwing | Lestes congener | 731 | 2 | 1 | late Aug-late Sep |
Sedge Sprite | Nehalennia irene | 359 | 2 | 1 | Jun |
Green-faced Clubtail | Hylogomphus viridifrons | 59 | 2 | 1 | mid Jun |
Pronghorn Clubtail | Phanogomphus graslinellus | 451 | 1 | 1 | late May-early Jun |
White-faced Meadowhawk | Sympetrum obtrusum | 272 | 1 | 1 | Sep |
Eastern Least Clubtail | Stylogomphus albistylus | 262 | 1 | 1 | Jun |
Variegated Meadowhawk | Sympetrum corruptum | 117 | 1 | 1 | Apr-Sep |
Allegheny River Cruiser | Macromia alleghaniensis | 16 | 1 | 1 | Jul |
Rainbow Bluet | Enallagma antennatum | 458 | 0 | 0 | Jun |
Lance-tipped Darner | Aeshna constricta | 358 | 0 | 0 | Sep |
Green-striped Darner | Aeshna verticalis | 262 | 0 | 0 | Sep |
Clamp-tipped Emerald | Somatochlora tenebrosa | 208 | 0 | 0 | Aug |
Black-tipped Darner | Aeshna tuberculifera | 141 | 0 | 0 | late Aug-early Sep |
Marsh Bluet | Enallagma ebrium | 66 | 0 | 0 | mid Jun |
Northern Spreadwing | Lestes disjunctus | 24 | 0 | 0 | Jun-Aug |
Smoky Shadowdragon | Neurocordulia molesta | 18 | 0 | 0 | Jun |
Northern Pygmy Clubtail | Lanthus parvulus | 7 | 0 | 0 | Jun |
Incurvate Emerald | Somatochlora incurvata | 1 | 0 | 0 | Jul |
Morgan County is located in the Unglaciated Allegheny Plateau and Appalachian mixed mesophytic forest ecoregions. The Muskingum River flows through the center of the county from north to south (see Rivers of Morgan County). Much of the NE corner of the county was strip mined and has been mostly reclaimed.
Places to visit
Appalachian Hills Wildlife Area is a 54,525-acre open for public access. Located in portions of Muskingum, Noble and Morgan counties, it surrounds Jesse Owens Wildlife Area. The terrain, dissected by numerous small streams, is rolling to rugged. Much of the land that has been subjected to various forms of mining and is in various stages of restoration. It consists of 68 percent forestland, 27 percent grassland/open land and 5 percent wetlands and ponds. As a result of surface mining, the area is dotted with hundreds of artificial ponds and small lakes. 36 odonate species have been observed, but it has not received much observation attention, and additional species likely remain to be found. Much of the area lacks cell coverage, and outside of several toilets in Jesse Owens State Park, there are no facilities.
Burr Oak State Park is a 2,600 acre park with a 664 acre lake.
The Muskingum River can be accessed at Eagleport, McConnelsville, Stockport, Beverly, Lowell and Devola (see Muskingum River State Park). Muskingum River Water Trail guide from ODNR (river access points, parks, 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 20 February 2024