Putnam County
Known species: 58
Total Observations: 1,013
Population: 34,088
Area in Square Miles: 483
People per Square Mile: 70
Observations per Square Mile: 2.1
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 | Putnam Total | Ohio Total | Putnam 2023 | Last Sighted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern Pondhawk | Erythemis simplicicollis | 71 | 13,870 | 35 | 2023 |
| Familiar Bluet | Enallagma civile | 65 | 5,111 | 38 | 2023 |
| Widow Skimmer | Libellula luctuosa | 63 | 10,352 | 23 | 2023 |
| Powdered Dancer | Argia moesta | 59 | 4,247 | 17 | 2023 |
| Dusky Dancer | Argia translata | 58 | 1,376 | 32 | 2023 |
| Blue-fronted Dancer | Argia apicalis | 58 | 5,692 | 16 | 2023 |
| Eastern Amberwing | Perithemis tenera | 57 | 8,819 | 27 | 2023 |
| Stream Bluet | Enallagma exsulans | 53 | 4,097 | 21 | 2023 |
| Skimming Bluet | Enallagma geminatum | 46 | 3,109 | 41 | 2023 |
| Calico Pennant | Celithemis elisa | 39 | 2,752 | 13 | 2023 |
| Eastern Forktail | Ischnura verticalis | 38 | 13,326 | 7 | 2023 |
| Halloween Pennant | Celithemis eponina | 37 | 3,628 | 23 | 2023 |
| Blue-tipped Dancer | Argia tibialis | 36 | 3,785 | 5 | 2023 |
| American Rubyspot | Hetaerina americana | 33 | 3,761 | 7 | 2023 |
| Blue-ringed Dancer | Argia sedula | 31 | 2,364 | 7 | 2023 |
| Flag-tailed Spinyleg | Dromogomphus spoliatus | 28 | 743 | 11 | 2023 |
| Common Whitetail | Plathemis lydia | 26 | 9,898 | 3 | 2023 |
| Double-striped Bluet | Enallagma basidens | 23 | 4,313 | 6 | 2023 |
| Blue Dasher | Pachydiplax longipennis | 21 | 13,169 | 2 | 2023 |
| Prince Baskettail | Epitheca princeps | 18 | 2,390 | 8 | 2023 |
| Violet Dancer | Argia fumipennis violacea | 18 | 6,247 | 5 | 2023 |
| Fragile Forktail | Ischnura posita | 16 | 10,727 | 2 | 2023 |
| Twelve-spotted Skimmer | Libellula pulchella | 14 | 3,377 | 1 | 2023 |
| Autumn Meadowhawk | Sympetrum vicinum | 10 | 6,971 | 1 | 2023 |
| Ebony Jewelwing | Calopteryx maculata | 10 | 7,169 | 0 | 2019 |
| Slender Spreadwing | Lestes rectangularis | 7 | 3,492 | 0 | 2019 |
| Ruby Meadowhawk | Sympetrum rubicundulum | 7 | 942 | 0 | 2019 |
| Black Saddlebags | Tramea lacerata | 6 | 2,839 | 1 | 2023 |
| Royal River Cruiser | Macromia taeniolata | 6 | 536 | 0 | 2019 |
| Variegated Meadowhawk | Sympetrum corruptum | 6 | 117 | 0 | 1961 |
| Rainbow Bluet | Enallagma antennatum | 5 | 458 | 1 | 2023 |
| Midland Clubtail | Gomphurus fraternus | 5 | 802 | 0 | 2021 |
| Common Green Darner | Anax junius | 4 | 4,146 | 1 | 2023 |
| Orange Bluet | Enallagma signatum | 3 | 3,184 | 1 | 2023 |
| Fawn Darner | Boyeria vinosa | 3 | 440 | 0 | 2018 |
| Lance-tipped Darner | Aeshna constricta | 3 | 358 | 0 | 1956 |
| White-faced Meadowhawk | Sympetrum obtrusum | 3 | 272 | 0 | 1995 |
| Saffron-winged Meadowhawk | Sympetrum costiferum | 3 | 20 | 0 | 1956 |
| Wandering Glider | Pantala flavescens | 2 | 1,241 | 0 | 2020 |
| Citrine Forktail | Ischnura hastata | 2 | 899 | 0 | 2019 |
| Cyrano Darner | Nasiaeschna pentacantha | 2 | 277 | 0 | 1985 |
| Cherry-faced Meadowhawk | Sympetrum internum | 2 | 14 | 0 | 1956 |
| Slaty Skimmer | Libellula incesta | 1 | 4,032 | 0 | 2020 |
| Azure Bluet | Enallagma aspersum | 1 | 2,115 | 0 | 2019 |
| Westfall's Slender Bluet | Enallagma traviatum westfalli | 1 | 1,991 | 0 | 2018 |
| Unicorn Clubtail | Arigomphus villosipes | 1 | 1,687 | 0 | 2021 |
| Carolina Saddlebags | Tramea carolina | 1 | 1,048 | 0 | 2021 |
| Shadow Darner | Aeshna umbrosa | 1 | 1,031 | 0 | 1994 |
| Band-winged Meadowhawk | Sympetrum semicinctum | 1 | 860 | 0 | 1956 |
| Turquoise Bluet | Enallagma divagans | 1 | 768 | 0 | 2018 |
| Spotted Spreadwing | Lestes congener | 1 | 731 | 0 | 1958 |
| Amber-winged Spreadwing | Lestes eurinus | 1 | 610 | 0 | 1994 |
| Black-shouldered Spinyleg | Dromogomphus spinosus | 1 | 542 | 0 | 1991 |
| Comet Darner | Anax longipes | 1 | 515 | 0 | 2020 |
| Sweetflag Spreadwing | Lestes forcipatus | 1 | 443 | 0 | 2019 |
| Russet-tipped Clubtail | Stylurus plagiatus | 1 | 307 | 0 | 1995 |
| Lyre-tipped Spreadwing | Lestes unguiculatus | 1 | 180 | 0 | 1950 |
| Wabash River Cruiser | Macromia wabashensis | 1 | 25 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emerald Spreadwing | Lestes dryas | 479 | 40 | 5 | Jun |
| Swamp Darner | Epiaeschna heros | 620 | 30 | 5 | late May-early Jun |
| Swift River Cruiser | Macromia illinoiensis | 688 | 26 | 5 | Jul-Aug |
| Common Baskettail | Epitheca cynosura | 748 | 25 | 4 | late May-early Jun |
| Dot-tailed Whiteface | Leucorrhinia intacta | 1,357 | 23 | 4 | early Jun |
| Great Spreadwing | Archilestes grandis | 824 | 19 | 4 | Sep |
| Spot-winged Glider | Pantala hymenaea | 478 | 17 | 4 | Jul |
| Pronghorn Clubtail | Phanogomphus graslinellus | 451 | 13 | 4 | late May-early Jun |
| Vesper Bluet | Enallagma vesperum | 740 | 12 | 4 | Jun |
| Macromia Hybrid | Macromia pacifica x taeniolata | 90 | 11 | 4 | late Jul-mid Aug |
| Blue-faced Meadowhawk | Sympetrum ambiguum | 1,204 | 32 | 3 | late Aug-mid Sep |
| Cobra Clubtail | Gomphurus vastus | 377 | 24 | 3 | Jun |
| Swamp Spreadwing | Lestes vigilax | 544 | 15 | 3 | Jul |
| Great Blue Skimmer | Libellula vibrans | 467 | 14 | 3 | Jun-Jul |
| Four-spotted Skimmer | Libellula quadrimaculata | 285 | 12 | 3 | Jun |
| Mocha Emerald | Somatochlora linearis | 192 | 10 | 3 | late Jun-late Aug |
| Red Saddlebags | Tramea onusta | 145 | 5 | 3 | Jun-Jul |
| Elegant Spreadwing | Lestes inaequalis | 479 | 21 | 2 | Jun |
| Lancet Clubtail | Phanogomphus exilis | 1,518 | 19 | 2 | early Jun |
| Dusky Clubtail | Phanogomphus spicatus | 191 | 6 | 2 | early Jun |
| Gilded River Cruiser | Macromia pacifica | 73 | 5 | 2 | late Jul |
| Southern Spreadwing | Lestes australis | 255 | 4 | 2 | May |
| Plains Clubtail | Gomphurus externus | 189 | 3 | 2 | mid Jun-mid Jul |
| Painted Skimmer | Libellula semifasciata | 1,056 | 2 | 2 | May |
| Spangled Skimmer | Libellula cyanea | 1,037 | 2 | 2 | Jun |
| River Bluet | Enallagma anna | 20 | 19 | 1 | Jun |
| Handsome Clubtail | Gomphurus crassus | 170 | 13 | 1 | late May-early Jun |
| Rapids Clubtail | Phanogomphus quadricolor | 287 | 6 | 1 | Jun |
| Sedge Sprite | Nehalennia irene | 359 | 4 | 1 | Jun |
| Spatterdock Darner | Rhionaeschna mutata | 335 | 4 | 1 | Jun |
| Jade Clubtail | Arigomphus submedianus | 106 | 3 | 1 | late Jun-late Aug |
| Dragonhunter | Hagenius brevistylus | 439 | 2 | 1 | mid Jun |
| Slender Baskettail | Epitheca costalis | 19 | 2 | 1 | late May |
| Ashy Clubtail | Phanogomphus lividus | 874 | 1 | 1 | late May-early Jun |
| Skillet Clubtail | Gomphurus ventricosus | 26 | 1 | 1 | Jun |
| Banded Pennant | Celithemis fasciata | 684 | 0 | 0 | Jul |
| Aurora Damsel | Chromagrion conditum | 471 | 0 | 0 | late May-early Jun |
| Smoky Rubyspot | Hetaerina titia | 346 | 0 | 0 | early Sep |
| Arrow Clubtail | Stylurus spiniceps | 305 | 0 | 0 | late Aug-early Sep |
| Green-striped Darner | Aeshna verticalis | 262 | 0 | 0 | Sep |
| Clamp-tipped Emerald | Somatochlora tenebrosa | 208 | 0 | 0 | Aug |
| Eastern Ringtail | Erpetogomphus designatus | 150 | 0 | 0 | Aug |
| Common Sanddragon | Progomphus obscurus | 141 | 0 | 0 | late Jun-mid Jul |
| Lilypad Clubtail | Arigomphus furcifer | 113 | 0 | 0 | early Jun |
| Hagen's Bluet | Enallagma hageni | 84 | 0 | 0 | Jun |
| Marsh Bluet | Enallagma ebrium | 66 | 0 | 0 | mid Jun |
| Boreal Bluet | Enallagma boreale | 44 | 0 | 0 | Jun |
| Canada Darner | Aeshna canadensis | 41 | 0 | 0 | Sep |
| Northern Spreadwing | Lestes disjunctus | 24 | 0 | 0 | Jun-Aug |
| Plains Emerald | Somatochlora ensigera | 18 | 0 | 0 | Jul |
| Riverine Clubtail | Stylurus amnicola | 15 | 0 | 0 | Aug |
| Taiga Bluet | Coenagrion resolutum | 4 | 0 | 0 | |
| Georgia River Cruiser | Macromia illinoiensis georgina | 3 | 0 | 0 |
Putnam County lies within the Maumee Lake Plains area of the Huron-Erie Lake Plains ecoregion, which was the location of the now mostly-drained and channelized Black Swamp. Watercourses include Auglaize River Blanchard River and Ottawa River (Auglaize River tributary) (see Rivers of Putnam County). The county is entirely within the Lake Erie Watershed (See p. 11 in Ohio Coastal Atlas: Chapter 2 for a detailed watershed map).
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 18 January 2024