Stark County
Known species: 99
Total Observations: 9,605
Population: 375,432
Area in Square Miles: 575
People per Square Mile: 647
Observations per Square Mile: 14.3
Percent of State Species: 57%
Percent of State Observations: 3.7%
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 | Stark Total | Ohio Total | Stark 2024 | Last Sighted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern Forktail | Ischnura verticalis | 539 | 15,992 | 73 | 2024 |
| American Rubyspot | Hetaerina americana | 538 | 4,444 | 62 | 2024 |
| Eastern Pondhawk | Erythemis simplicicollis | 429 | 16,365 | 56 | 2024 |
| Common Whitetail | Plathemis lydia | 425 | 12,022 | 52 | 2024 |
| Blue-fronted Dancer | Argia apicalis | 422 | 6,584 | 49 | 2024 |
| Blue Dasher | Pachydiplax longipennis | 389 | 15,601 | 36 | 2024 |
| Fragile Forktail | Ischnura posita | 378 | 13,199 | 46 | 2024 |
| Ebony Jewelwing | Calopteryx maculata | 359 | 8,606 | 40 | 2024 |
| Eastern Amberwing | Perithemis tenera | 334 | 10,887 | 49 | 2024 |
| Blue-tipped Dancer | Argia tibialis | 311 | 4,492 | 59 | 2024 |
| Violet Dancer | Argia fumipennis violacea | 299 | 7,557 | 36 | 2024 |
| Widow Skimmer | Libellula luctuosa | 296 | 11,931 | 39 | 2024 |
| Autumn Meadowhawk | Sympetrum vicinum | 295 | 8,456 | 34 | 2024 |
| Stream Bluet | Enallagma exsulans | 286 | 4,803 | 44 | 2024 |
| Familiar Bluet | Enallagma civile | 208 | 6,173 | 37 | 2024 |
| Slender Spreadwing | Lestes rectangularis | 202 | 3,904 | 26 | 2024 |
| Eastern Red Damsel | Amphiagrion saucium | 175 | 1,420 | 28 | 2024 |
| Band-winged Meadowhawk | Sympetrum semicinctum | 170 | 931 | 0 | 2023 |
| Plains Clubtail | Gomphurus externus | 167 | 236 | 28 | 2024 |
| Azure Bluet | Enallagma aspersum | 165 | 2,488 | 37 | 2024 |
| Slaty Skimmer | Libellula incesta | 149 | 4,920 | 19 | 2024 |
| Skimming Bluet | Enallagma geminatum | 147 | 3,832 | 27 | 2024 |
| Orange Bluet | Enallagma signatum | 143 | 3,791 | 25 | 2024 |
| Blue-ringed Dancer | Argia sedula | 134 | 2,837 | 38 | 2024 |
| Lilypad Forktail | Ischnura kellicotti | 131 | 858 | 18 | 2024 |
| Calico Pennant | Celithemis elisa | 129 | 3,194 | 29 | 2024 |
| Common Green Darner | Anax junius | 125 | 5,160 | 18 | 2024 |
| Twelve-spotted Skimmer | Libellula pulchella | 114 | 3,740 | 19 | 2024 |
| Double-striped Bluet | Enallagma basidens | 98 | 5,343 | 19 | 2024 |
| Midland Clubtail | Gomphurus fraternus | 97 | 927 | 21 | 2024 |
| Black Saddlebags | Tramea lacerata | 86 | 3,380 | 23 | 2024 |
| Unicorn Clubtail | Arigomphus villosipes | 86 | 2,065 | 21 | 2024 |
| Shadow Darner | Aeshna umbrosa | 79 | 1,187 | 10 | 2024 |
| Amber-winged Spreadwing | Lestes eurinus | 78 | 706 | 8 | 2024 |
| Sphagnum Sprite | Nehalennia gracilis | 77 | 443 | 14 | 2024 |
| Lancet Clubtail | Phanogomphus exilis | 76 | 1,803 | 13 | 2024 |
| Powdered Dancer | Argia moesta | 72 | 5,141 | 8 | 2024 |
| Blue-faced Meadowhawk | Sympetrum ambiguum | 70 | 1,452 | 35 | 2024 |
| Westfall's Slender Bluet | Enallagma traviatum westfalli | 70 | 2,367 | 12 | 2024 |
| Great Spreadwing | Archilestes grandis | 62 | 959 | 13 | 2024 |
| Turquoise Bluet | Enallagma divagans | 60 | 918 | 16 | 2024 |
| Spangled Skimmer | Libellula cyanea | 58 | 1,197 | 13 | 2024 |
| Painted Skimmer | Libellula semifasciata | 55 | 1,208 | 8 | 2024 |
| Cobra Clubtail | Gomphurus vastus | 54 | 471 | 10 | 2024 |
| Arrow Clubtail | Stylurus spiniceps | 54 | 321 | 2 | 2024 |
| Spotted Spreadwing | Lestes congener | 51 | 860 | 8 | 2024 |
| Halloween Pennant | Celithemis eponina | 46 | 4,187 | 10 | 2024 |
| Fawn Darner | Boyeria vinosa | 44 | 519 | 3 | 2024 |
| Seepage Dancer | Argia bipunctulata | 43 | 1,230 | 25 | 2024 |
| Carolina Saddlebags | Tramea carolina | 42 | 1,263 | 11 | 2024 |
| Prince Baskettail | Epitheca princeps | 40 | 2,788 | 6 | 2024 |
| Wandering Glider | Pantala flavescens | 38 | 1,523 | 6 | 2024 |
| Dusky Dancer | Argia translata | 37 | 1,681 | 7 | 2024 |
| Citrine Forktail | Ischnura hastata | 34 | 962 | 2 | 2024 |
| Comet Darner | Anax longipes | 31 | 605 | 7 | 2024 |
| Rainbow Bluet | Enallagma antennatum | 31 | 485 | 4 | 2024 |
| Dot-tailed Whiteface | Leucorrhinia intacta | 31 | 1,702 | 1 | 2024 |
| Emerald Spreadwing | Lestes dryas | 28 | 567 | 0 | 2023 |
| Swamp Darner | Epiaeschna heros | 27 | 715 | 1 | 2024 |
| Green-striped Darner | Aeshna verticalis | 26 | 342 | 0 | 2023 |
| Elegant Spreadwing | Lestes inaequalis | 25 | 580 | 7 | 2024 |
| Ashy Clubtail | Phanogomphus lividus | 25 | 1,009 | 6 | 2024 |
| Swift River Cruiser | Macromia illinoiensis | 24 | 760 | 0 | 2023 |
| Sweetflag Spreadwing | Lestes forcipatus | 23 | 514 | 6 | 2024 |
| Black-tipped Darner | Aeshna tuberculifera | 23 | 163 | 0 | 2023 |
| Royal River Cruiser | Macromia taeniolata | 21 | 598 | 5 | 2024 |
| Swamp Spreadwing | Lestes vigilax | 18 | 608 | 2 | 2024 |
| Common Baskettail | Epitheca cynosura | 17 | 874 | 5 | 2024 |
| Mocha Emerald | Somatochlora linearis | 17 | 202 | 0 | 2023 |
| Spot-winged Glider | Pantala hymenaea | 15 | 562 | 0 | 2023 |
| Cyrano Darner | Nasiaeschna pentacantha | 14 | 321 | 5 | 2024 |
| Ruby Meadowhawk | Sympetrum rubicundulum | 14 | 965 | 0 | 2021 |
| Rapids Clubtail | Phanogomphus quadricolor | 13 | 377 | 8 | 2024 |
| Vesper Bluet | Enallagma vesperum | 13 | 922 | 0 | 2023 |
| Tule Bluet | Enallagma carunculatum | 12 | 569 | 1 | 2024 |
| Spatterdock Darner | Rhionaeschna mutata | 11 | 396 | 1 | 2024 |
| Great Blue Skimmer | Libellula vibrans | 11 | 501 | 0 | 2022 |
| Aurora Damsel | Chromagrion conditum | 9 | 576 | 0 | 2022 |
| Sedge Sprite | Nehalennia irene | 9 | 396 | 0 | 2022 |
| Springtime Darner | Basiaeschna janata | 8 | 374 | 3 | 2024 |
| Southern Spreadwing | Lestes australis | 6 | 284 | 0 | 2023 |
| Four-spotted Skimmer | Libellula quadrimaculata | 5 | 295 | 0 | 2023 |
| Lance-tipped Darner | Aeshna constricta | 4 | 361 | 0 | 2011 |
| Black-shouldered Spinyleg | Dromogomphus spinosus | 3 | 671 | 0 | 2014 |
| White-faced Meadowhawk | Sympetrum obtrusum | 3 | 305 | 0 | 2014 |
| Lyre-tipped Spreadwing | Lestes unguiculatus | 3 | 210 | 0 | 2018 |
| Red Saddlebags | Tramea onusta | 3 | 146 | 0 | 2022 |
| Dragonhunter | Hagenius brevistylus | 2 | 589 | 0 | 2022 |
| Clamp-tipped Emerald | Somatochlora tenebrosa | 2 | 217 | 0 | 2015 |
| Gilded River Cruiser | Macromia pacifica | 2 | 88 | 0 | 2020 |
| Racket-tailed Emerald | Dorocordulia libera | 2 | 66 | 0 | 2010 |
| Pronghorn Clubtail | Phanogomphus graslinellus | 1 | 503 | 0 | 1980 |
| Handsome Clubtail | Gomphurus crassus | 1 | 209 | 0 | 2022 |
| Variegated Meadowhawk | Sympetrum corruptum | 1 | 149 | 0 | 1934 |
| Delta-spotted Spiketail | Zoraena diastatops | 1 | 142 | 0 | 2001 |
| Macromia Hybrid | Macromia pacifica x taeniolata | 1 | 100 | 0 | 2002 |
| Wabash River Cruiser | Macromia wabashensis | 1 | 25 | 0 | 2002 |
| Brush-tipped Emerald | Somatochlora walshii | 1 | 17 | 0 | 2002 |
| Northern Pygmy Clubtail | Lanthus parvulus | 1 | 7 | 0 | 1934 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arrowhead Spiketail | Zoraena obliqua | 189 | 23 | 5 | late May-early Jun |
| Eastern Least Clubtail | Stylogomphus albistylus | 329 | 19 | 5 | Jun |
| Twin-spotted Spiketail | Zoraena maculata | 95 | 13 | 5 | late May-mid Jun |
| Gray Petaltail | Tachopteryx thoreyi | 446 | 15 | 3 | Jun |
| Rusty Snaketail | Ophiogomphus rupinsulensis | 348 | 12 | 3 | Jun |
| Smoky Rubyspot | Hetaerina titia | 377 | 75 | 2 | early Sep |
| Harlequin Darner | Gomphaeschna furcillata | 126 | 24 | 2 | late May-early Jun |
| Hagen's Bluet | Enallagma hageni | 85 | 23 | 2 | Jun |
| Beaverpond Baskettail | Epitheca canis | 63 | 22 | 2 | May |
| Ocellated Darner | Boyeria grafiana | 53 | 9 | 2 | Sep |
| Tiger Spiketail | Zoraena erronea | 126 | 8 | 2 | Jul |
| Lilypad Clubtail | Arigomphus furcifer | 137 | 5 | 2 | early Jun |
| Stream Cruiser | Didymops transversa | 140 | 3 | 2 | May |
| Elfin Skimmer | Nannothemis bella | 555 | 23 | 1 | Jun-Jul |
| Frosted Whiteface | Leucorrhinia frigida | 29 | 11 | 1 | early Jun |
| Northern Bluet | Enallagma annexum | 71 | 5 | 1 | Jun |
| American Emerald | Cordulia shurtleffii | 14 | 5 | 1 | May |
| Splendid Clubtail | Gomphurus lineatifrons | 139 | 4 | 1 | Jun |
| Slender Baskettail | Epitheca costalis | 24 | 4 | 1 | late May |
| Rambur's Forktail | Ischnura ramburii | 15 | 4 | 1 | Jul |
| Marsh Bluet | Enallagma ebrium | 66 | 3 | 1 | mid Jun |
| Chalk-fronted Corporal | Ladona julia | 59 | 3 | 1 | late May |
| Scarlet Skimmer | Crocothemis servilia | 2 | 2 | 1 | Jul |
| Southern Pygmy Clubtail | Lanthus vernalis | 121 | 1 | 1 | late May-early Jun |
| Golden-winged Skimmer | Libellula auripennis | 45 | 1 | 1 | late Jun |
| Striped Saddlebags | Tramea darwini | 33 | 1 | 1 | early Oct |
| Banded Pennant | Celithemis fasciata | 860 | 0 | 0 | Jul |
| Dusky Clubtail | Phanogomphus spicatus | 258 | 0 | 0 | early Jun |
| Elusive Clubtail | Stylurus notatus | 137 | 0 | 0 | Sep |
| River Jewelwing | Calopteryx aequabilis | 81 | 0 | 0 | early Jun |
| Stygian Shadowdragon | Neurocordulia yamaskanensis | 68 | 0 | 0 | late Jun |
| Riffle Snaketail | Ophiogomphus carolus | 45 | 0 | 0 | mid Jun |
| Boreal Bluet | Enallagma boreale | 44 | 0 | 0 | Jun |
| Northern Spreadwing | Lestes disjunctus | 24 | 0 | 0 | Jun-Aug |
| Cherry-faced Meadowhawk | Sympetrum internum | 14 | 0 | 0 | Sep |
| Umber Shadowdragon | Neurocordulia obsoleta | 6 | 0 | 0 | Jun |
Most of Stark County is located in the Glaciated Allegheny Plateau ecoregion. A small area in the southern part of the county is unglaciated.
Places to Visit
Tuscarawas River Water Trail guide from ODNR. Map showing river access points, towpath trail, parks, and facilities.
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