Portage County
Known species: 111
Total Observations: 3,470
Population: 163,862
Area in Square Miles: 487
People per Square Mile: 325
Observations per Square Mile: 7.1
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 | Portage Total | Ohio Total | Portage 2023 | Last Sighted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern Pondhawk | Erythemis simplicicollis | 206 | 13,870 | 29 | 2023 |
| Common Whitetail | Plathemis lydia | 196 | 9,898 | 30 | 2023 |
| Blue Dasher | Pachydiplax longipennis | 192 | 13,169 | 10 | 2023 |
| Eastern Forktail | Ischnura verticalis | 169 | 13,326 | 35 | 2023 |
| Autumn Meadowhawk | Sympetrum vicinum | 158 | 6,971 | 22 | 2023 |
| Fragile Forktail | Ischnura posita | 153 | 10,727 | 22 | 2023 |
| Ebony Jewelwing | Calopteryx maculata | 149 | 7,169 | 12 | 2023 |
| Slaty Skimmer | Libellula incesta | 107 | 4,032 | 4 | 2023 |
| Eastern Amberwing | Perithemis tenera | 97 | 8,819 | 7 | 2023 |
| Dot-tailed Whiteface | Leucorrhinia intacta | 92 | 1,357 | 16 | 2023 |
| Widow Skimmer | Libellula luctuosa | 90 | 10,352 | 9 | 2023 |
| Blue-fronted Dancer | Argia apicalis | 87 | 5,692 | 16 | 2023 |
| Skimming Bluet | Enallagma geminatum | 74 | 3,109 | 17 | 2023 |
| Blue-tipped Dancer | Argia tibialis | 74 | 3,785 | 3 | 2023 |
| Slender Spreadwing | Lestes rectangularis | 62 | 3,492 | 1 | 2023 |
| Violet Dancer | Argia fumipennis violacea | 60 | 6,247 | 6 | 2023 |
| Common Green Darner | Anax junius | 56 | 4,146 | 12 | 2023 |
| Halloween Pennant | Celithemis eponina | 55 | 3,628 | 7 | 2023 |
| Aurora Damsel | Chromagrion conditum | 52 | 471 | 7 | 2023 |
| Sphagnum Sprite | Nehalennia gracilis | 50 | 370 | 5 | 2023 |
| Ashy Clubtail | Phanogomphus lividus | 44 | 874 | 9 | 2023 |
| Lancet Clubtail | Phanogomphus exilis | 43 | 1,518 | 6 | 2023 |
| Orange Bluet | Enallagma signatum | 40 | 3,184 | 7 | 2023 |
| Stream Bluet | Enallagma exsulans | 39 | 4,097 | 4 | 2023 |
| American Rubyspot | Hetaerina americana | 38 | 3,761 | 2 | 2023 |
| Spangled Skimmer | Libellula cyanea | 37 | 1,037 | 4 | 2023 |
| Westfall's Slender Bluet | Enallagma traviatum westfalli | 35 | 1,991 | 8 | 2023 |
| Twelve-spotted Skimmer | Libellula pulchella | 35 | 3,377 | 1 | 2023 |
| Common Baskettail | Epitheca cynosura | 33 | 748 | 8 | 2023 |
| Familiar Bluet | Enallagma civile | 32 | 5,111 | 11 | 2023 |
| Unicorn Clubtail | Arigomphus villosipes | 32 | 1,687 | 7 | 2023 |
| Powdered Dancer | Argia moesta | 31 | 4,247 | 3 | 2023 |
| Shadow Darner | Aeshna umbrosa | 28 | 1,031 | 2 | 2023 |
| Tule Bluet | Enallagma carunculatum | 26 | 498 | 5 | 2023 |
| Swamp Spreadwing | Lestes vigilax | 26 | 544 | 0 | 2022 |
| Hagen's Bluet | Enallagma hageni | 25 | 84 | 0 | 2020 |
| Double-striped Bluet | Enallagma basidens | 23 | 4,313 | 5 | 2023 |
| Calico Pennant | Celithemis elisa | 23 | 2,752 | 4 | 2023 |
| Elegant Spreadwing | Lestes inaequalis | 23 | 479 | 2 | 2023 |
| Green-striped Darner | Aeshna verticalis | 23 | 262 | 2 | 2023 |
| Azure Bluet | Enallagma aspersum | 23 | 2,115 | 0 | 2022 |
| Fawn Darner | Boyeria vinosa | 22 | 440 | 1 | 2023 |
| Black Saddlebags | Tramea lacerata | 21 | 2,839 | 1 | 2023 |
| Prince Baskettail | Epitheca princeps | 21 | 2,390 | 1 | 2023 |
| Painted Skimmer | Libellula semifasciata | 19 | 1,056 | 1 | 2023 |
| Frosted Whiteface | Leucorrhinia frigida | 19 | 29 | 0 | 2019 |
| Springtime Darner | Basiaeschna janata | 17 | 298 | 1 | 2023 |
| Ruby Meadowhawk | Sympetrum rubicundulum | 17 | 942 | 0 | 2021 |
| White-faced Meadowhawk | Sympetrum obtrusum | 17 | 272 | 0 | 2022 |
| Cyrano Darner | Nasiaeschna pentacantha | 16 | 277 | 2 | 2023 |
| Band-winged Meadowhawk | Sympetrum semicinctum | 16 | 860 | 0 | 2022 |
| Arrow Clubtail | Stylurus spiniceps | 13 | 305 | 1 | 2023 |
| Spotted Spreadwing | Lestes congener | 13 | 731 | 0 | 2022 |
| Dragonhunter | Hagenius brevistylus | 13 | 439 | 0 | 2022 |
| Rainbow Bluet | Enallagma antennatum | 12 | 458 | 4 | 2023 |
| Eastern Red Damsel | Amphiagrion saucium | 12 | 1,230 | 2 | 2023 |
| Great Spreadwing | Archilestes grandis | 12 | 824 | 1 | 2023 |
| Swamp Darner | Epiaeschna heros | 12 | 620 | 0 | 2022 |
| Sedge Sprite | Nehalennia irene | 12 | 359 | 0 | 2022 |
| American Emerald | Cordulia shurtleffii | 12 | 14 | 0 | 2019 |
| Spatterdock Darner | Rhionaeschna mutata | 11 | 335 | 2 | 2023 |
| Blue-ringed Dancer | Argia sedula | 11 | 2,364 | 0 | 2020 |
| Amber-winged Spreadwing | Lestes eurinus | 11 | 610 | 0 | 2022 |
| Harlequin Darner | Gomphaeschna furcillata | 10 | 106 | 2 | 2023 |
| Beaverpond Baskettail | Epitheca canis | 9 | 38 | 1 | 2023 |
| Dusky Dancer | Argia translata | 9 | 1,376 | 0 | 2022 |
| Carolina Saddlebags | Tramea carolina | 9 | 1,048 | 0 | 2022 |
| Comet Darner | Anax longipes | 9 | 515 | 0 | 2022 |
| Lilypad Clubtail | Arigomphus furcifer | 8 | 113 | 1 | 2023 |
| Sweetflag Spreadwing | Lestes forcipatus | 8 | 443 | 0 | 2022 |
| Arrowhead Spiketail | Cordulegaster obliqua | 8 | 172 | 0 | 2022 |
| Wandering Glider | Pantala flavescens | 7 | 1,241 | 2 | 2023 |
| Twin-spotted Spiketail | Cordulegaster maculata | 7 | 90 | 2 | 2023 |
| Vesper Bluet | Enallagma vesperum | 7 | 740 | 0 | 2022 |
| Emerald Spreadwing | Lestes dryas | 7 | 479 | 0 | 2021 |
| River Jewelwing | Calopteryx aequabilis | 7 | 77 | 0 | 1900 |
| Banded Pennant | Celithemis fasciata | 6 | 684 | 0 | 1900 |
| Black-shouldered Spinyleg | Dromogomphus spinosus | 6 | 542 | 0 | 2021 |
| Royal River Cruiser | Macromia taeniolata | 6 | 536 | 0 | 2022 |
| Mocha Emerald | Somatochlora linearis | 6 | 192 | 0 | 2022 |
| Splendid Clubtail | Gomphurus lineatifrons | 6 | 95 | 0 | 2022 |
| Rapids Clubtail | Phanogomphus quadricolor | 5 | 287 | 1 | 2023 |
| Swift River Cruiser | Macromia illinoiensis | 5 | 688 | 0 | 2022 |
| Spot-winged Glider | Pantala hymenaea | 5 | 478 | 0 | 2022 |
| Eastern Least Clubtail | Stylogomphus albistylus | 5 | 262 | 0 | 2022 |
| Delta-spotted Spiketail | Cordulegaster diastatops | 5 | 131 | 0 | 2018 |
| Northern Bluet | Enallagma annexum | 5 | 65 | 0 | 2022 |
| Brush-tipped Emerald | Somatochlora walshii | 5 | 16 | 0 | 2001 |
| Four-spotted Skimmer | Libellula quadrimaculata | 4 | 285 | 2 | 2023 |
| Great Blue Skimmer | Libellula vibrans | 4 | 467 | 0 | 2022 |
| Lance-tipped Darner | Aeshna constricta | 4 | 358 | 0 | 2003 |
| Clamp-tipped Emerald | Somatochlora tenebrosa | 4 | 208 | 0 | 2022 |
| Dusky Clubtail | Phanogomphus spicatus | 4 | 191 | 0 | 1900 |
| Southern Pygmy Clubtail | Lanthus vernalis | 4 | 113 | 0 | 2000 |
| Chalk-fronted Corporal | Ladona julia | 4 | 59 | 0 | 1900 |
| Blue-faced Meadowhawk | Sympetrum ambiguum | 3 | 1,204 | 0 | 2022 |
| Black-tipped Darner | Aeshna tuberculifera | 3 | 141 | 0 | 2021 |
| Racket-tailed Emerald | Dorocordulia libera | 3 | 64 | 0 | 2022 |
| Turquoise Bluet | Enallagma divagans | 2 | 768 | 1 | 2023 |
| Lilypad Forktail | Ischnura kellicotti | 2 | 733 | 0 | 2019 |
| Southern Spreadwing | Lestes australis | 2 | 255 | 0 | 2004 |
| Rusty Snaketail | Ophiogomphus rupinsulensis | 2 | 245 | 0 | 1999 |
| Variegated Meadowhawk | Sympetrum corruptum | 2 | 117 | 0 | 2020 |
| Citrine Forktail | Ischnura hastata | 1 | 899 | 0 | 2000 |
| Midland Clubtail | Gomphurus fraternus | 1 | 802 | 0 | 1900 |
| Red Saddlebags | Tramea onusta | 1 | 145 | 0 | 2018 |
| Stream Cruiser | Didymops transversa | 1 | 121 | 0 | 2019 |
| Marsh Bluet | Enallagma ebrium | 1 | 66 | 0 | 1926 |
| Ocellated Darner | Boyeria grafiana | 1 | 50 | 0 | 2022 |
| Northern Spreadwing | Lestes disjunctus | 1 | 24 | 0 | 1999 |
| Cherry-faced Meadowhawk | Sympetrum internum | 1 | 14 | 0 | 1998 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gray Petaltail | Tachopteryx thoreyi | 390 | 22 | 3 | Jun |
| Tiger Spiketail | Cordulegaster erronea | 106 | 9 | 3 | Jul |
| Lyre-tipped Spreadwing | Lestes unguiculatus | 180 | 7 | 3 | Jun-Jul |
| Slender Baskettail | Epitheca costalis | 19 | 7 | 3 | late May |
| Plains Clubtail | Gomphurus externus | 189 | 141 | 2 | mid Jun-mid Jul |
| Cobra Clubtail | Gomphurus vastus | 377 | 44 | 2 | Jun |
| Rambur's Forktail | Ischnura ramburii | 15 | 9 | 2 | Jul |
| Macromia Hybrid | Macromia pacifica x taeniolata | 90 | 4 | 2 | late Jul-mid Aug |
| Band-winged Dragonlet | Erythrodiplax umbrata | 16 | 4 | 2 | Jun-Aug |
| Elfin Skimmer | Nannothemis bella | 485 | 20 | 1 | Jun-Jul |
| Seepage Dancer | Argia bipunctulata | 1,028 | 17 | 1 | Jun-Jul |
| Laura's Clubtail | Stylurus laurae | 50 | 12 | 1 | late Jul-early Sep |
| Gilded River Cruiser | Macromia pacifica | 73 | 2 | 1 | late Jul |
| Northern Pygmy Clubtail | Lanthus parvulus | 7 | 2 | 1 | Jun |
| Scarlet Skimmer | Crocothemis servilia | 2 | 2 | 1 | Jul |
| Handsome Clubtail | Gomphurus crassus | 170 | 1 | 1 | late May-early Jun |
| Striped Saddlebags | Tramea darwini | 33 | 1 | 1 | early Oct |
| Wabash River Cruiser | Macromia wabashensis | 25 | 1 | 1 | Aug |
| Pronghorn Clubtail | Phanogomphus graslinellus | 451 | 0 | 0 | late May-early Jun |
| Boreal Bluet | Enallagma boreale | 44 | 0 | 0 | Jun |
| Canada Darner | Aeshna canadensis | 41 | 0 | 0 | Sep |
| Riffle Snaketail | Ophiogomphus carolus | 35 | 0 | 0 | mid Jun |
| Taiga Bluet | Coenagrion resolutum | 4 | 0 | 0 | |
| Taper-tailed Darner | Gomphaeschna antilope | 3 | 0 | 0 | Jun |
Portage County was named for the portage over the Continental Divide between the Cuyahoga River, which flows southwesterly in Portage county, but makes a hairpin turn to the north in Summit County, and the Tuscarawas River (located in Summit County). The Little Cuyahoga River, and Tinkers Creek are also in the Cuyahoga’s watershed. The Chagrin River is enters Lake Erie in Lake County. See p. 12 in Ohio Coastal Atlas: Chapter 2 for a detailed watershed map. The entire eastern half of the county is in the Ohio River watershed, draining through the Mahoning River. This convoluted county is located within the Glaciated Allegheny Plateau.
Places to visit
West Branch State Park includes the Michael J. Kirwan Dam and Reservoir. 37 odonate species have been observed there.
Cuyahoga River Water Trail Map 1 and Map 2 show 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