Summit County
Known species: 115
Total Observations: 11,558
Population: 541,824
Area in Square Miles: 413
People per Square Mile: 1,290
Observations per Square Mile: 24.1
Percent of State Species: 66%
Percent of State Observations: 4.4%
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 | Summit Total | Ohio Total | Summit 2024 | Last Sighted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern Pondhawk | Erythemis simplicicollis | 979 | 16,365 | 157 | 2024 |
| Blue Dasher | Pachydiplax longipennis | 956 | 15,601 | 133 | 2024 |
| Common Whitetail | Plathemis lydia | 687 | 12,022 | 102 | 2024 |
| Eastern Forktail | Ischnura verticalis | 657 | 15,992 | 123 | 2024 |
| Eastern Amberwing | Perithemis tenera | 601 | 10,887 | 84 | 2024 |
| Widow Skimmer | Libellula luctuosa | 553 | 11,931 | 50 | 2024 |
| Ebony Jewelwing | Calopteryx maculata | 520 | 8,606 | 91 | 2024 |
| Autumn Meadowhawk | Sympetrum vicinum | 482 | 8,456 | 79 | 2024 |
| Slaty Skimmer | Libellula incesta | 472 | 4,920 | 71 | 2024 |
| Fragile Forktail | Ischnura posita | 424 | 13,199 | 95 | 2024 |
| Common Green Darner | Anax junius | 297 | 5,160 | 50 | 2024 |
| Violet Dancer | Argia fumipennis violacea | 246 | 7,557 | 31 | 2024 |
| Skimming Bluet | Enallagma geminatum | 239 | 3,832 | 39 | 2024 |
| Twelve-spotted Skimmer | Libellula pulchella | 237 | 3,740 | 16 | 2024 |
| Familiar Bluet | Enallagma civile | 223 | 6,173 | 49 | 2024 |
| Blue-fronted Dancer | Argia apicalis | 222 | 6,584 | 34 | 2024 |
| Azure Bluet | Enallagma aspersum | 216 | 2,488 | 21 | 2024 |
| Dot-tailed Whiteface | Leucorrhinia intacta | 185 | 1,702 | 26 | 2024 |
| Halloween Pennant | Celithemis eponina | 167 | 4,187 | 26 | 2024 |
| Slender Spreadwing | Lestes rectangularis | 166 | 3,904 | 27 | 2024 |
| Unicorn Clubtail | Arigomphus villosipes | 159 | 2,065 | 35 | 2024 |
| American Rubyspot | Hetaerina americana | 149 | 4,444 | 51 | 2024 |
| Black Saddlebags | Tramea lacerata | 149 | 3,380 | 19 | 2024 |
| Orange Bluet | Enallagma signatum | 138 | 3,791 | 24 | 2024 |
| Amber-winged Spreadwing | Lestes eurinus | 129 | 706 | 23 | 2024 |
| Lancet Clubtail | Phanogomphus exilis | 110 | 1,803 | 19 | 2024 |
| Calico Pennant | Celithemis elisa | 101 | 3,194 | 10 | 2024 |
| Westfall's Slender Bluet | Enallagma traviatum westfalli | 100 | 2,367 | 16 | 2024 |
| Spotted Spreadwing | Lestes congener | 97 | 860 | 58 | 2024 |
| Blue-tipped Dancer | Argia tibialis | 97 | 4,492 | 15 | 2024 |
| Shadow Darner | Aeshna umbrosa | 89 | 1,187 | 13 | 2024 |
| Stream Bluet | Enallagma exsulans | 86 | 4,803 | 18 | 2024 |
| Painted Skimmer | Libellula semifasciata | 80 | 1,208 | 2 | 2024 |
| Carolina Saddlebags | Tramea carolina | 79 | 1,263 | 12 | 2024 |
| Prince Baskettail | Epitheca princeps | 78 | 2,788 | 7 | 2024 |
| Spatterdock Darner | Rhionaeschna mutata | 73 | 396 | 10 | 2024 |
| Powdered Dancer | Argia moesta | 65 | 5,141 | 7 | 2024 |
| Double-striped Bluet | Enallagma basidens | 64 | 5,343 | 9 | 2024 |
| Comet Darner | Anax longipes | 64 | 605 | 0 | 2023 |
| Lilypad Forktail | Ischnura kellicotti | 59 | 858 | 13 | 2024 |
| Eastern Red Damsel | Amphiagrion saucium | 56 | 1,420 | 17 | 2024 |
| Fawn Darner | Boyeria vinosa | 56 | 519 | 1 | 2024 |
| Band-winged Meadowhawk | Sympetrum semicinctum | 50 | 931 | 17 | 2024 |
| Tule Bluet | Enallagma carunculatum | 48 | 569 | 8 | 2024 |
| Great Spreadwing | Archilestes grandis | 47 | 959 | 11 | 2024 |
| Sphagnum Sprite | Nehalennia gracilis | 46 | 443 | 5 | 2024 |
| Elegant Spreadwing | Lestes inaequalis | 45 | 580 | 6 | 2024 |
| Green-striped Darner | Aeshna verticalis | 39 | 342 | 12 | 2024 |
| Swamp Darner | Epiaeschna heros | 34 | 715 | 4 | 2024 |
| Racket-tailed Emerald | Dorocordulia libera | 34 | 66 | 0 | 2022 |
| Vesper Bluet | Enallagma vesperum | 31 | 922 | 7 | 2024 |
| Black-tipped Darner | Aeshna tuberculifera | 30 | 163 | 1 | 2024 |
| Common Baskettail | Epitheca cynosura | 28 | 874 | 1 | 2024 |
| Elfin Skimmer | Nannothemis bella | 27 | 555 | 0 | 2021 |
| Dusky Dancer | Argia translata | 25 | 1,681 | 3 | 2024 |
| Lance-tipped Darner | Aeshna constricta | 25 | 361 | 0 | 2022 |
| Wandering Glider | Pantala flavescens | 24 | 1,523 | 2 | 2024 |
| Swamp Spreadwing | Lestes vigilax | 22 | 608 | 4 | 2024 |
| Aurora Damsel | Chromagrion conditum | 22 | 576 | 2 | 2024 |
| Four-spotted Skimmer | Libellula quadrimaculata | 20 | 295 | 1 | 2024 |
| Ruby Meadowhawk | Sympetrum rubicundulum | 17 | 965 | 6 | 2024 |
| Gray Petaltail | Tachopteryx thoreyi | 17 | 446 | 2 | 2024 |
| Springtime Darner | Basiaeschna janata | 17 | 374 | 2 | 2024 |
| Plains Clubtail | Gomphurus externus | 16 | 236 | 14 | 2024 |
| White-faced Meadowhawk | Sympetrum obtrusum | 15 | 305 | 7 | 2024 |
| Rainbow Bluet | Enallagma antennatum | 15 | 485 | 0 | 2023 |
| Citrine Forktail | Ischnura hastata | 13 | 962 | 0 | 2021 |
| Arrowhead Spiketail | Zoraena obliqua | 12 | 189 | 5 | 2024 |
| Sweetflag Spreadwing | Lestes forcipatus | 12 | 514 | 4 | 2024 |
| Delta-spotted Spiketail | Zoraena diastatops | 11 | 142 | 1 | 2024 |
| Red Saddlebags | Tramea onusta | 11 | 146 | 0 | 2019 |
| Spot-winged Glider | Pantala hymenaea | 10 | 562 | 3 | 2024 |
| Hagen's Bluet | Enallagma hageni | 9 | 85 | 0 | 2020 |
| Ocellated Darner | Boyeria grafiana | 9 | 53 | 0 | 2023 |
| Royal River Cruiser | Macromia taeniolata | 8 | 598 | 4 | 2024 |
| Clamp-tipped Emerald | Somatochlora tenebrosa | 8 | 217 | 4 | 2024 |
| Turquoise Bluet | Enallagma divagans | 8 | 918 | 1 | 2024 |
| Midland Clubtail | Gomphurus fraternus | 7 | 927 | 7 | 2024 |
| Harlequin Darner | Gomphaeschna furcillata | 7 | 126 | 4 | 2024 |
| Blue-faced Meadowhawk | Sympetrum ambiguum | 7 | 1,452 | 3 | 2024 |
| Rapids Clubtail | Phanogomphus quadricolor | 7 | 377 | 3 | 2024 |
| Cyrano Darner | Nasiaeschna pentacantha | 7 | 321 | 1 | 2024 |
| Ashy Clubtail | Phanogomphus lividus | 7 | 1,009 | 0 | 2023 |
| Arrow Clubtail | Stylurus spiniceps | 6 | 321 | 2 | 2024 |
| Eastern Least Clubtail | Stylogomphus albistylus | 6 | 329 | 1 | 2024 |
| Tiger Spiketail | Zoraena erronea | 6 | 126 | 1 | 2024 |
| Dragonhunter | Hagenius brevistylus | 6 | 589 | 0 | 2022 |
| Swift River Cruiser | Macromia illinoiensis | 5 | 760 | 1 | 2024 |
| Great Blue Skimmer | Libellula vibrans | 5 | 501 | 1 | 2024 |
| Brush-tipped Emerald | Somatochlora walshii | 5 | 17 | 1 | 2024 |
| Spangled Skimmer | Libellula cyanea | 5 | 1,197 | 0 | 2023 |
| Marsh Bluet | Enallagma ebrium | 5 | 66 | 0 | 2015 |
| Chalk-fronted Corporal | Ladona julia | 5 | 59 | 0 | 2018 |
| Emerald Spreadwing | Lestes dryas | 4 | 567 | 1 | 2024 |
| Sedge Sprite | Nehalennia irene | 4 | 396 | 1 | 2024 |
| Southern Spreadwing | Lestes australis | 4 | 284 | 1 | 2024 |
| Mocha Emerald | Somatochlora linearis | 4 | 202 | 1 | 2024 |
| Blue-ringed Dancer | Argia sedula | 4 | 2,837 | 0 | 2020 |
| Slender Baskettail | Epitheca costalis | 4 | 24 | 0 | 2021 |
| Rambur's Forktail | Ischnura ramburii | 4 | 15 | 0 | 2019 |
| Lilypad Clubtail | Arigomphus furcifer | 3 | 137 | 0 | 2020 |
| Twin-spotted Spiketail | Zoraena maculata | 3 | 95 | 0 | 2023 |
| Banded Pennant | Celithemis fasciata | 2 | 860 | 0 | 1898 |
| Splendid Clubtail | Gomphurus lineatifrons | 2 | 139 | 0 | 1961 |
| Scarlet Skimmer | Crocothemis servilia | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2018 |
| Variegated Meadowhawk | Sympetrum corruptum | 1 | 149 | 1 | 2024 |
| Macromia Hybrid | Macromia pacifica x taeniolata | 1 | 100 | 1 | 2024 |
| Golden-winged Skimmer | Libellula auripennis | 1 | 45 | 1 | 2024 |
| Dusky Clubtail | Phanogomphus spicatus | 1 | 258 | 0 | 1900 |
| Lyre-tipped Spreadwing | Lestes unguiculatus | 1 | 210 | 0 | 1937 |
| Southern Pygmy Clubtail | Lanthus vernalis | 1 | 121 | 0 | 2007 |
| River Jewelwing | Calopteryx aequabilis | 1 | 81 | 0 | 1937 |
| Beaverpond Baskettail | Epitheca canis | 1 | 63 | 0 | 2001 |
| Boreal Bluet | Enallagma boreale | 1 | 44 | 0 | 1995 |
| Striped Saddlebags | Tramea darwini | 1 | 33 | 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 | 140 | 25 | 3 | May |
| Black-shouldered Spinyleg | Dromogomphus spinosus | 671 | 6 | 3 | Jun-Jul |
| Band-winged Dragonlet | Erythrodiplax umbrata | 16 | 4 | 2 | Jun-Aug |
| Cobra Clubtail | Gomphurus vastus | 471 | 53 | 1 | Jun |
| Seepage Dancer | Argia bipunctulata | 1,230 | 42 | 1 | Jun-Jul |
| Laura's Clubtail | Stylurus laurae | 51 | 13 | 1 | late Jul-early Sep |
| 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 |
| Smoky Rubyspot | Hetaerina titia | 377 | 3 | 1 | early Sep |
| Gilded River Cruiser | Macromia pacifica | 88 | 2 | 1 | late Jul |
| Northern Pygmy Clubtail | Lanthus parvulus | 7 | 2 | 1 | Jun |
| Rusty Snaketail | Ophiogomphus rupinsulensis | 348 | 1 | 1 | Jun |
| Handsome Clubtail | Gomphurus crassus | 209 | 1 | 1 | late May-early Jun |
| Wabash River Cruiser | Macromia wabashensis | 25 | 1 | 1 | Aug |
| Pronghorn Clubtail | Phanogomphus graslinellus | 503 | 0 | 0 | late May-early Jun |
| Riffle Snaketail | Ophiogomphus carolus | 45 | 0 | 0 | mid Jun |
| Canada Darner | Aeshna canadensis | 41 | 0 | 0 | Sep |
| Northern Spreadwing | Lestes disjunctus | 24 | 0 | 0 | Jun-Aug |
| Cherry-faced Meadowhawk | Sympetrum internum | 14 | 0 | 0 | Sep |
| Taiga Bluet | Coenagrion resolutum | 4 | 0 | 0 | |
| Taper-tailed Darner | Gomphaeschna antilope | 3 | 0 | 0 | Jun |
Summit County is located in the Glaciated Allegheny Plateau ecoregion. The SW 1/3 of the county is in the Ohio River Watershed, and the northern 2/3 of the county are within the Lake Erie Watershed (See p. 12 in Ohio Coastal Atlas: Chapter 2 for a detailed watershed map).
Places to Visit
Tuscarawas River Water Trail guide from ODNR. Map showing river access points, towpath trail, parks, and facilities.
Cuyahoga River Water Trail Map 3 and Map 4 show river access points, trails, 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