Summit County
Known species: 111
Total Observations: 9,956
Population: 541,824
Area in Square Miles: 413
People per Square Mile: 1,290
Observations per Square Mile: 24.1
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 | Summit Total | Ohio Total | Summit 2023 | Last Sighted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Dasher | Pachydiplax longipennis | 813 | 13,169 | 83 | 2023 |
| Eastern Pondhawk | Erythemis simplicicollis | 808 | 13,870 | 105 | 2023 |
| Common Whitetail | Plathemis lydia | 580 | 9,898 | 73 | 2023 |
| Eastern Forktail | Ischnura verticalis | 533 | 13,326 | 57 | 2023 |
| Eastern Amberwing | Perithemis tenera | 508 | 8,819 | 43 | 2023 |
| Widow Skimmer | Libellula luctuosa | 497 | 10,352 | 58 | 2023 |
| Ebony Jewelwing | Calopteryx maculata | 424 | 7,169 | 52 | 2023 |
| Autumn Meadowhawk | Sympetrum vicinum | 402 | 6,971 | 63 | 2023 |
| Slaty Skimmer | Libellula incesta | 394 | 4,032 | 46 | 2023 |
| Fragile Forktail | Ischnura posita | 324 | 10,727 | 42 | 2023 |
| Common Green Darner | Anax junius | 243 | 4,146 | 39 | 2023 |
| Twelve-spotted Skimmer | Libellula pulchella | 221 | 3,377 | 9 | 2023 |
| Violet Dancer | Argia fumipennis violacea | 214 | 6,247 | 31 | 2023 |
| Skimming Bluet | Enallagma geminatum | 195 | 3,109 | 39 | 2023 |
| Azure Bluet | Enallagma aspersum | 194 | 2,115 | 25 | 2023 |
| Blue-fronted Dancer | Argia apicalis | 187 | 5,692 | 24 | 2023 |
| Familiar Bluet | Enallagma civile | 174 | 5,111 | 31 | 2023 |
| Dot-tailed Whiteface | Leucorrhinia intacta | 156 | 1,357 | 15 | 2023 |
| Slender Spreadwing | Lestes rectangularis | 139 | 3,492 | 11 | 2023 |
| Halloween Pennant | Celithemis eponina | 138 | 3,628 | 9 | 2023 |
| Black Saddlebags | Tramea lacerata | 130 | 2,839 | 9 | 2023 |
| Unicorn Clubtail | Arigomphus villosipes | 124 | 1,687 | 17 | 2023 |
| Orange Bluet | Enallagma signatum | 114 | 3,184 | 23 | 2023 |
| Amber-winged Spreadwing | Lestes eurinus | 105 | 610 | 7 | 2023 |
| American Rubyspot | Hetaerina americana | 92 | 3,761 | 16 | 2023 |
| Lancet Clubtail | Phanogomphus exilis | 91 | 1,518 | 10 | 2023 |
| Calico Pennant | Celithemis elisa | 90 | 2,752 | 16 | 2023 |
| Westfall's Slender Bluet | Enallagma traviatum westfalli | 84 | 1,991 | 12 | 2023 |
| Blue-tipped Dancer | Argia tibialis | 82 | 3,785 | 15 | 2023 |
| Painted Skimmer | Libellula semifasciata | 78 | 1,056 | 1 | 2023 |
| Shadow Darner | Aeshna umbrosa | 76 | 1,031 | 10 | 2023 |
| Prince Baskettail | Epitheca princeps | 71 | 2,390 | 11 | 2023 |
| Stream Bluet | Enallagma exsulans | 67 | 4,097 | 14 | 2023 |
| Carolina Saddlebags | Tramea carolina | 67 | 1,048 | 4 | 2023 |
| Comet Darner | Anax longipes | 64 | 515 | 5 | 2023 |
| Spatterdock Darner | Rhionaeschna mutata | 63 | 335 | 4 | 2023 |
| Powdered Dancer | Argia moesta | 58 | 4,247 | 9 | 2023 |
| Double-striped Bluet | Enallagma basidens | 55 | 4,313 | 11 | 2023 |
| Fawn Darner | Boyeria vinosa | 55 | 440 | 5 | 2023 |
| Lilypad Forktail | Ischnura kellicotti | 46 | 733 | 0 | 2020 |
| Sphagnum Sprite | Nehalennia gracilis | 41 | 370 | 12 | 2023 |
| Tule Bluet | Enallagma carunculatum | 40 | 498 | 4 | 2023 |
| Eastern Red Damsel | Amphiagrion saucium | 39 | 1,230 | 6 | 2023 |
| Spotted Spreadwing | Lestes congener | 38 | 731 | 7 | 2023 |
| Elegant Spreadwing | Lestes inaequalis | 38 | 479 | 3 | 2023 |
| Great Spreadwing | Archilestes grandis | 36 | 824 | 13 | 2023 |
| Racket-tailed Emerald | Dorocordulia libera | 34 | 64 | 0 | 2022 |
| Band-winged Meadowhawk | Sympetrum semicinctum | 33 | 860 | 11 | 2023 |
| Black-tipped Darner | Aeshna tuberculifera | 29 | 141 | 4 | 2023 |
| Swamp Darner | Epiaeschna heros | 29 | 620 | 3 | 2023 |
| Common Baskettail | Epitheca cynosura | 27 | 748 | 5 | 2023 |
| Green-striped Darner | Aeshna verticalis | 27 | 262 | 2 | 2023 |
| Vesper Bluet | Enallagma vesperum | 24 | 740 | 4 | 2023 |
| Elfin Skimmer | Nannothemis bella | 24 | 485 | 0 | 2021 |
| Lance-tipped Darner | Aeshna constricta | 23 | 358 | 0 | 2022 |
| Wandering Glider | Pantala flavescens | 21 | 1,241 | 1 | 2023 |
| Dusky Dancer | Argia translata | 20 | 1,376 | 1 | 2023 |
| Aurora Damsel | Chromagrion conditum | 20 | 471 | 1 | 2023 |
| Swamp Spreadwing | Lestes vigilax | 18 | 544 | 7 | 2023 |
| Four-spotted Skimmer | Libellula quadrimaculata | 16 | 285 | 13 | 2023 |
| Springtime Darner | Basiaeschna janata | 15 | 298 | 2 | 2023 |
| Gray Petaltail | Tachopteryx thoreyi | 14 | 390 | 2 | 2023 |
| Rainbow Bluet | Enallagma antennatum | 13 | 458 | 2 | 2023 |
| Citrine Forktail | Ischnura hastata | 13 | 899 | 0 | 2021 |
| Ruby Meadowhawk | Sympetrum rubicundulum | 11 | 942 | 1 | 2023 |
| Red Saddlebags | Tramea onusta | 11 | 145 | 0 | 2019 |
| Delta-spotted Spiketail | Cordulegaster diastatops | 10 | 131 | 0 | 2022 |
| Ocellated Darner | Boyeria grafiana | 9 | 50 | 1 | 2023 |
| Hagen's Bluet | Enallagma hageni | 9 | 84 | 0 | 2020 |
| Sweetflag Spreadwing | Lestes forcipatus | 8 | 443 | 2 | 2023 |
| Ashy Clubtail | Phanogomphus lividus | 7 | 874 | 3 | 2023 |
| Spot-winged Glider | Pantala hymenaea | 7 | 478 | 2 | 2023 |
| Turquoise Bluet | Enallagma divagans | 7 | 768 | 1 | 2023 |
| White-faced Meadowhawk | Sympetrum obtrusum | 7 | 272 | 0 | 2022 |
| Arrowhead Spiketail | Cordulegaster obliqua | 7 | 172 | 0 | 2022 |
| Cyrano Darner | Nasiaeschna pentacantha | 6 | 277 | 3 | 2023 |
| Dragonhunter | Hagenius brevistylus | 6 | 439 | 0 | 2022 |
| Spangled Skimmer | Libellula cyanea | 5 | 1,037 | 2 | 2023 |
| Tiger Spiketail | Cordulegaster erronea | 5 | 106 | 1 | 2023 |
| Eastern Least Clubtail | Stylogomphus albistylus | 5 | 262 | 0 | 2019 |
| Marsh Bluet | Enallagma ebrium | 5 | 66 | 0 | 2015 |
| Chalk-fronted Corporal | Ladona julia | 5 | 59 | 0 | 2018 |
| Rapids Clubtail | Phanogomphus quadricolor | 4 | 287 | 1 | 2023 |
| Blue-ringed Dancer | Argia sedula | 4 | 2,364 | 0 | 2020 |
| Blue-faced Meadowhawk | Sympetrum ambiguum | 4 | 1,204 | 0 | 2022 |
| Swift River Cruiser | Macromia illinoiensis | 4 | 688 | 0 | 2021 |
| Royal River Cruiser | Macromia taeniolata | 4 | 536 | 0 | 2022 |
| Great Blue Skimmer | Libellula vibrans | 4 | 467 | 0 | 2022 |
| Arrow Clubtail | Stylurus spiniceps | 4 | 305 | 0 | 2022 |
| Clamp-tipped Emerald | Somatochlora tenebrosa | 4 | 208 | 0 | 2022 |
| Slender Baskettail | Epitheca costalis | 4 | 19 | 0 | 2021 |
| Brush-tipped Emerald | Somatochlora walshii | 4 | 16 | 0 | 2020 |
| Rambur's Forktail | Ischnura ramburii | 4 | 15 | 0 | 2019 |
| Southern Spreadwing | Lestes australis | 3 | 255 | 1 | 2023 |
| Mocha Emerald | Somatochlora linearis | 3 | 192 | 1 | 2023 |
| Twin-spotted Spiketail | Cordulegaster maculata | 3 | 90 | 1 | 2023 |
| Emerald Spreadwing | Lestes dryas | 3 | 479 | 0 | 2007 |
| Sedge Sprite | Nehalennia irene | 3 | 359 | 0 | 2022 |
| Lilypad Clubtail | Arigomphus furcifer | 3 | 113 | 0 | 2020 |
| Harlequin Darner | Gomphaeschna furcillata | 3 | 106 | 0 | 2017 |
| Plains Clubtail | Gomphurus externus | 2 | 189 | 2 | 2023 |
| Banded Pennant | Celithemis fasciata | 2 | 684 | 0 | 1898 |
| Splendid Clubtail | Gomphurus lineatifrons | 2 | 95 | 0 | 1961 |
| Scarlet Skimmer | Crocothemis servilia | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2018 |
| Dusky Clubtail | Phanogomphus spicatus | 1 | 191 | 0 | 1900 |
| Lyre-tipped Spreadwing | Lestes unguiculatus | 1 | 180 | 0 | 1937 |
| Southern Pygmy Clubtail | Lanthus vernalis | 1 | 113 | 0 | 2007 |
| River Jewelwing | Calopteryx aequabilis | 1 | 77 | 0 | 1937 |
| Boreal Bluet | Enallagma boreale | 1 | 44 | 0 | 1995 |
| Beaverpond Baskettail | Epitheca canis | 1 | 38 | 0 | 2001 |
| 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 | 121 | 21 | 3 | May |
| Black-shouldered Spinyleg | Dromogomphus spinosus | 542 | 6 | 3 | Jun-Jul |
| Midland Clubtail | Gomphurus fraternus | 802 | 77 | 2 | late May-mid Jun |
| Macromia Hybrid | Macromia pacifica x taeniolata | 90 | 4 | 2 | late Jul-mid Aug |
| Band-winged Dragonlet | Erythrodiplax umbrata | 16 | 4 | 2 | Jun-Aug |
| Cobra Clubtail | Gomphurus vastus | 377 | 43 | 1 | Jun |
| Seepage Dancer | Argia bipunctulata | 1,028 | 17 | 1 | Jun-Jul |
| Laura's Clubtail | Stylurus laurae | 50 | 12 | 1 | late Jul-early Sep |
| Frosted Whiteface | Leucorrhinia frigida | 29 | 11 | 1 | early Jun |
| American Emerald | Cordulia shurtleffii | 14 | 5 | 1 | May |
| Northern Bluet | Enallagma annexum | 65 | 4 | 1 | Jun |
| Variegated Meadowhawk | Sympetrum corruptum | 117 | 2 | 1 | Apr-Sep |
| Gilded River Cruiser | Macromia pacifica | 73 | 2 | 1 | late Jul |
| Northern Pygmy Clubtail | Lanthus parvulus | 7 | 2 | 1 | Jun |
| Handsome Clubtail | Gomphurus crassus | 170 | 1 | 1 | late May-early Jun |
| Wabash River Cruiser | Macromia wabashensis | 25 | 1 | 1 | Aug |
| Pronghorn Clubtail | Phanogomphus graslinellus | 451 | 0 | 0 | late May-early Jun |
| Rusty Snaketail | Ophiogomphus rupinsulensis | 245 | 0 | 0 | Jun |
| Canada Darner | Aeshna canadensis | 41 | 0 | 0 | Sep |
| Riffle Snaketail | Ophiogomphus carolus | 35 | 0 | 0 | mid Jun |
| 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 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