Union County
Known species: 64
Total Observations: 1,741
Population: 53,306
Area in Square Miles: 438
People per Square Mile: 122
Observations per Square Mile: 3.4
Percent of State Species: 37%
Percent of State Observations: 0.7%
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 | Union Total | Ohio Total | Union 2024 | Last Sighted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Dasher | Pachydiplax longipennis | 142 | 15,601 | 19 | 2024 |
| Eastern Forktail | Ischnura verticalis | 131 | 15,992 | 16 | 2024 |
| Familiar Bluet | Enallagma civile | 100 | 6,173 | 1 | 2024 |
| Eastern Amberwing | Perithemis tenera | 96 | 10,887 | 10 | 2024 |
| Slender Spreadwing | Lestes rectangularis | 87 | 3,904 | 17 | 2024 |
| Common Green Darner | Anax junius | 78 | 5,160 | 12 | 2024 |
| Eastern Pondhawk | Erythemis simplicicollis | 76 | 16,365 | 19 | 2024 |
| Widow Skimmer | Libellula luctuosa | 73 | 11,931 | 13 | 2024 |
| Dot-tailed Whiteface | Leucorrhinia intacta | 64 | 1,702 | 44 | 2024 |
| Blue-tipped Dancer | Argia tibialis | 61 | 4,492 | 1 | 2024 |
| Common Whitetail | Plathemis lydia | 59 | 12,022 | 2 | 2024 |
| Fragile Forktail | Ischnura posita | 55 | 13,199 | 7 | 2024 |
| Double-striped Bluet | Enallagma basidens | 47 | 5,343 | 11 | 2024 |
| Carolina Saddlebags | Tramea carolina | 45 | 1,263 | 3 | 2024 |
| Skimming Bluet | Enallagma geminatum | 44 | 3,832 | 19 | 2024 |
| Twelve-spotted Skimmer | Libellula pulchella | 44 | 3,740 | 2 | 2024 |
| Black Saddlebags | Tramea lacerata | 41 | 3,380 | 4 | 2024 |
| Orange Bluet | Enallagma signatum | 37 | 3,791 | 4 | 2024 |
| Ebony Jewelwing | Calopteryx maculata | 34 | 8,606 | 3 | 2024 |
| Azure Bluet | Enallagma aspersum | 34 | 2,488 | 2 | 2024 |
| Westfall's Slender Bluet | Enallagma traviatum westfalli | 33 | 2,367 | 9 | 2024 |
| Halloween Pennant | Celithemis eponina | 31 | 4,187 | 17 | 2024 |
| Stream Bluet | Enallagma exsulans | 30 | 4,803 | 2 | 2024 |
| Powdered Dancer | Argia moesta | 22 | 5,141 | 1 | 2024 |
| Blue-fronted Dancer | Argia apicalis | 21 | 6,584 | 1 | 2024 |
| Fawn Darner | Boyeria vinosa | 20 | 519 | 0 | 1993 |
| Autumn Meadowhawk | Sympetrum vicinum | 19 | 8,456 | 2 | 2024 |
| Dusky Clubtail | Phanogomphus spicatus | 17 | 258 | 17 | 2024 |
| Painted Skimmer | Libellula semifasciata | 17 | 1,208 | 0 | 2022 |
| Blue-ringed Dancer | Argia sedula | 16 | 2,837 | 0 | 2023 |
| Prince Baskettail | Epitheca princeps | 14 | 2,788 | 2 | 2024 |
| Slaty Skimmer | Libellula incesta | 13 | 4,920 | 10 | 2024 |
| Calico Pennant | Celithemis elisa | 13 | 3,194 | 6 | 2024 |
| Violet Dancer | Argia fumipennis violacea | 13 | 7,557 | 4 | 2024 |
| Wandering Glider | Pantala flavescens | 11 | 1,523 | 0 | 2023 |
| Ashy Clubtail | Phanogomphus lividus | 10 | 1,009 | 4 | 2024 |
| Dusky Dancer | Argia translata | 7 | 1,681 | 1 | 2024 |
| American Rubyspot | Hetaerina americana | 7 | 4,444 | 0 | 2023 |
| Lancet Clubtail | Phanogomphus exilis | 6 | 1,803 | 3 | 2024 |
| Great Spreadwing | Archilestes grandis | 6 | 959 | 0 | 2022 |
| Vesper Bluet | Enallagma vesperum | 6 | 922 | 0 | 2023 |
| Cyrano Darner | Nasiaeschna pentacantha | 6 | 321 | 0 | 2018 |
| Comet Darner | Anax longipes | 5 | 605 | 5 | 2024 |
| Southern Spreadwing | Lestes australis | 5 | 284 | 1 | 2024 |
| Spot-winged Glider | Pantala hymenaea | 5 | 562 | 0 | 2023 |
| Unicorn Clubtail | Arigomphus villosipes | 4 | 2,065 | 2 | 2024 |
| Shadow Darner | Aeshna umbrosa | 4 | 1,187 | 0 | 2023 |
| Citrine Forktail | Ischnura hastata | 4 | 962 | 0 | 2022 |
| Rainbow Bluet | Enallagma antennatum | 4 | 485 | 0 | 1992 |
| Gilded River Cruiser | Macromia pacifica | 3 | 88 | 0 | 2018 |
| Dragonhunter | Hagenius brevistylus | 2 | 589 | 2 | 2024 |
| Common Baskettail | Epitheca cynosura | 2 | 874 | 1 | 2024 |
| Ruby Meadowhawk | Sympetrum rubicundulum | 2 | 965 | 0 | 1997 |
| Black-shouldered Spinyleg | Dromogomphus spinosus | 2 | 671 | 0 | 1990 |
| Elegant Spreadwing | Lestes inaequalis | 2 | 580 | 0 | 2023 |
| Emerald Spreadwing | Lestes dryas | 2 | 567 | 0 | 2019 |
| Red Saddlebags | Tramea onusta | 2 | 146 | 0 | 2023 |
| Swamp Darner | Epiaeschna heros | 1 | 715 | 1 | 2024 |
| Blue-faced Meadowhawk | Sympetrum ambiguum | 1 | 1,452 | 0 | 2015 |
| Flag-tailed Spinyleg | Dromogomphus spoliatus | 1 | 809 | 0 | 1993 |
| Swamp Spreadwing | Lestes vigilax | 1 | 608 | 0 | 2023 |
| Royal River Cruiser | Macromia taeniolata | 1 | 598 | 0 | 1991 |
| Pronghorn Clubtail | Phanogomphus graslinellus | 1 | 503 | 0 | 1932 |
| Marsh Bluet | Enallagma ebrium | 1 | 66 | 0 | 1960 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turquoise Bluet | Enallagma divagans | 918 | 56 | 7 | May-Jun |
| Sweetflag Spreadwing | Lestes forcipatus | 514 | 24 | 7 | Jul-Aug |
| Great Blue Skimmer | Libellula vibrans | 501 | 90 | 6 | Jun-Jul |
| Swift River Cruiser | Macromia illinoiensis | 760 | 58 | 5 | Jul-Aug |
| Eastern Red Damsel | Amphiagrion saucium | 1,420 | 482 | 4 | late May-early Jun |
| Spotted Spreadwing | Lestes congener | 860 | 91 | 4 | late Aug-late Sep |
| Spatterdock Darner | Rhionaeschna mutata | 396 | 52 | 4 | Jun |
| Springtime Darner | Basiaeschna janata | 374 | 38 | 4 | May |
| Macromia Hybrid | Macromia pacifica x taeniolata | 100 | 9 | 4 | late Jul-mid Aug |
| Spangled Skimmer | Libellula cyanea | 1,197 | 8 | 4 | Jun |
| Arrowhead Spiketail | Zoraena obliqua | 189 | 6 | 4 | late May-early Jun |
| Swift Setwing | Dythemis velox | 447 | 297 | 3 | Jul-Aug |
| Band-winged Meadowhawk | Sympetrum semicinctum | 931 | 99 | 3 | Jul-Aug |
| Midland Clubtail | Gomphurus fraternus | 927 | 42 | 3 | late May-mid Jun |
| Four-spotted Skimmer | Libellula quadrimaculata | 295 | 20 | 3 | Jun |
| White-faced Meadowhawk | Sympetrum obtrusum | 305 | 10 | 3 | Sep |
| Variegated Meadowhawk | Sympetrum corruptum | 149 | 5 | 3 | Apr-Sep |
| Blue Corporal | Ladona deplanata | 601 | 4 | 3 | May |
| Lilypad Forktail | Ischnura kellicotti | 858 | 205 | 2 | Jun-Sep |
| Rusty Snaketail | Ophiogomphus rupinsulensis | 348 | 179 | 2 | Jun |
| Brown Spiketail | Zoraena bilineata | 240 | 127 | 2 | late May-early Jun |
| Rapids Clubtail | Phanogomphus quadricolor | 377 | 101 | 2 | Jun |
| Gray Petaltail | Tachopteryx thoreyi | 446 | 78 | 2 | Jun |
| Handsome Clubtail | Gomphurus crassus | 209 | 78 | 2 | late May-early Jun |
| Clamp-tipped Emerald | Somatochlora tenebrosa | 217 | 53 | 2 | Aug |
| Amber-winged Spreadwing | Lestes eurinus | 706 | 40 | 2 | Jun-Jul |
| Arrow Clubtail | Stylurus spiniceps | 321 | 21 | 2 | late Aug-early Sep |
| Banded Pennant | Celithemis fasciata | 860 | 7 | 2 | Jul |
| Mocha Emerald | Somatochlora linearis | 202 | 7 | 2 | late Jun-late Aug |
| Russet-tipped Clubtail | Stylurus plagiatus | 390 | 5 | 2 | Sep |
| Cobra Clubtail | Gomphurus vastus | 471 | 3 | 2 | Jun |
| Green-striped Darner | Aeshna verticalis | 342 | 2 | 2 | Sep |
| Northern Spreadwing | Lestes disjunctus | 24 | 2 | 2 | Jun-Aug |
| Seepage Dancer | Argia bipunctulata | 1,230 | 969 | 1 | Jun-Jul |
| Elfin Skimmer | Nannothemis bella | 555 | 486 | 1 | Jun-Jul |
| Tule Bluet | Enallagma carunculatum | 569 | 251 | 1 | Jun-Jul |
| Paiute Dancer | Argia alberta | 369 | 147 | 1 | Jun |
| Sphagnum Sprite | Nehalennia gracilis | 443 | 50 | 1 | late Jun-early Jul |
| Splendid Clubtail | Gomphurus lineatifrons | 139 | 21 | 1 | Jun |
| Tiger Spiketail | Zoraena erronea | 126 | 13 | 1 | Jul |
| Sedge Sprite | Nehalennia irene | 396 | 2 | 1 | Jun |
| Lance-tipped Darner | Aeshna constricta | 361 | 2 | 1 | Sep |
| Eastern Least Clubtail | Stylogomphus albistylus | 329 | 2 | 1 | Jun |
| Stygian Shadowdragon | Neurocordulia yamaskanensis | 68 | 2 | 1 | late Jun |
| Lyre-tipped Spreadwing | Lestes unguiculatus | 210 | 1 | 1 | Jun-Jul |
| Eastern Ringtail | Erpetogomphus designatus | 177 | 1 | 1 | Aug |
| Twin-spotted Spiketail | Zoraena maculata | 95 | 1 | 1 | late May-mid Jun |
| Golden-winged Skimmer | Libellula auripennis | 45 | 1 | 1 | late Jun |
| Wabash River Cruiser | Macromia wabashensis | 25 | 1 | 1 | Aug |
| Band-winged Dragonlet | Erythrodiplax umbrata | 16 | 1 | 1 | Jun-Aug |
| Rambur's Forktail | Ischnura ramburii | 15 | 1 | 1 | Jul |
| Furtive Forktail | Ischnura prognata | 5 | 1 | 1 | |
| Aurora Damsel | Chromagrion conditum | 576 | 0 | 0 | late May-early Jun |
| Stream Cruiser | Didymops transversa | 140 | 0 | 0 | May |
| Green-faced Clubtail | Hylogomphus viridifrons | 98 | 0 | 0 | mid Jun |
| Hagen's Bluet | Enallagma hageni | 85 | 0 | 0 | Jun |
| River Jewelwing | Calopteryx aequabilis | 81 | 0 | 0 | early Jun |
| Boreal Bluet | Enallagma boreale | 44 | 0 | 0 | Jun |
| Skillet Clubtail | Gomphurus ventricosus | 26 | 0 | 0 | Jun |
| Hine's Emerald | Somatochlora hineana | 24 | 0 | 0 | Jun |
| Saffron-winged Meadowhawk | Sympetrum costiferum | 20 | 0 | 0 | Oct |
| Smoky Shadowdragon | Neurocordulia molesta | 18 | 0 | 0 | Jun |
| Allegheny River Cruiser | Macromia alleghaniensis | 16 | 0 | 0 | Jul |
| Taper-tailed Darner | Gomphaeschna antilope | 3 | 0 | 0 | Jun |
| Atlantic Bluet | Enallagma doubledayi | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Union County is in the Till Plains ecoregion.
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