Warren County
Known species: 81
Total Observations: 3,461
Population: 219,160
Area in Square Miles: 401
People per Square Mile: 539
Observations per Square Mile: 5.5
Percent of State Species: 47%
Percent of State Observations: 1.3%
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 | Warren Total | Ohio Total | Warren 2024 | Last Sighted |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Eastern Forktail | Ischnura verticalis | 402 | 15,992 | 307 | 2024 |
Eastern Pondhawk | Erythemis simplicicollis | 311 | 16,365 | 81 | 2024 |
Double-striped Bluet | Enallagma basidens | 306 | 5,343 | 261 | 2024 |
Eastern Amberwing | Perithemis tenera | 250 | 10,887 | 167 | 2024 |
Blue Dasher | Pachydiplax longipennis | 222 | 15,601 | 61 | 2024 |
Widow Skimmer | Libellula luctuosa | 213 | 11,931 | 79 | 2024 |
Fragile Forktail | Ischnura posita | 202 | 13,199 | 45 | 2024 |
Blue-fronted Dancer | Argia apicalis | 122 | 6,584 | 4 | 2024 |
Common Whitetail | Plathemis lydia | 106 | 12,022 | 22 | 2024 |
Autumn Meadowhawk | Sympetrum vicinum | 96 | 8,456 | 79 | 2024 |
Ebony Jewelwing | Calopteryx maculata | 81 | 8,606 | 5 | 2024 |
Halloween Pennant | Celithemis eponina | 81 | 4,187 | 5 | 2024 |
Familiar Bluet | Enallagma civile | 80 | 6,173 | 54 | 2024 |
Slaty Skimmer | Libellula incesta | 77 | 4,920 | 5 | 2024 |
Powdered Dancer | Argia moesta | 58 | 5,141 | 6 | 2024 |
Blue-tipped Dancer | Argia tibialis | 55 | 4,492 | 2 | 2024 |
Common Green Darner | Anax junius | 54 | 5,160 | 5 | 2024 |
Skimming Bluet | Enallagma geminatum | 46 | 3,832 | 2 | 2024 |
Orange Bluet | Enallagma signatum | 45 | 3,791 | 15 | 2024 |
American Rubyspot | Hetaerina americana | 44 | 4,444 | 2 | 2024 |
Black Saddlebags | Tramea lacerata | 40 | 3,380 | 2 | 2024 |
Spangled Skimmer | Libellula cyanea | 32 | 1,197 | 4 | 2024 |
Twelve-spotted Skimmer | Libellula pulchella | 31 | 3,740 | 1 | 2024 |
Carolina Saddlebags | Tramea carolina | 30 | 1,263 | 2 | 2024 |
Stream Bluet | Enallagma exsulans | 25 | 4,803 | 1 | 2024 |
Prince Baskettail | Epitheca princeps | 24 | 2,788 | 1 | 2024 |
Flag-tailed Spinyleg | Dromogomphus spoliatus | 24 | 809 | 1 | 2024 |
Azure Bluet | Enallagma aspersum | 23 | 2,488 | 2 | 2024 |
Dusky Dancer | Argia translata | 23 | 1,681 | 2 | 2024 |
Blue-faced Meadowhawk | Sympetrum ambiguum | 17 | 1,452 | 3 | 2024 |
Slender Spreadwing | Lestes rectangularis | 17 | 3,904 | 0 | 2023 |
Calico Pennant | Celithemis elisa | 16 | 3,194 | 0 | 2023 |
Violet Dancer | Argia fumipennis violacea | 15 | 7,557 | 8 | 2024 |
Amber-winged Spreadwing | Lestes eurinus | 15 | 706 | 6 | 2024 |
Eastern Ringtail | Erpetogomphus designatus | 15 | 177 | 4 | 2024 |
Spatterdock Darner | Rhionaeschna mutata | 14 | 396 | 4 | 2024 |
Blue-ringed Dancer | Argia sedula | 14 | 2,837 | 1 | 2024 |
Westfall's Slender Bluet | Enallagma traviatum westfalli | 14 | 2,367 | 0 | 2023 |
Unicorn Clubtail | Arigomphus villosipes | 14 | 2,065 | 0 | 2023 |
Citrine Forktail | Ischnura hastata | 13 | 962 | 1 | 2024 |
Midland Clubtail | Gomphurus fraternus | 13 | 927 | 0 | 2023 |
Blue Corporal | Ladona deplanata | 12 | 601 | 1 | 2024 |
Pronghorn Clubtail | Phanogomphus graslinellus | 12 | 503 | 0 | 2023 |
Banded Pennant | Celithemis fasciata | 11 | 860 | 0 | 2022 |
Arrowhead Spiketail | Zoraena obliqua | 10 | 189 | 4 | 2024 |
Ruby Meadowhawk | Sympetrum rubicundulum | 10 | 965 | 0 | 2019 |
Common Baskettail | Epitheca cynosura | 10 | 874 | 0 | 2021 |
Fawn Darner | Boyeria vinosa | 10 | 519 | 0 | 1993 |
Dragonhunter | Hagenius brevistylus | 8 | 589 | 2 | 2024 |
Painted Skimmer | Libellula semifasciata | 7 | 1,208 | 2 | 2024 |
Wandering Glider | Pantala flavescens | 7 | 1,523 | 1 | 2024 |
Spotted Spreadwing | Lestes congener | 7 | 860 | 1 | 2024 |
Sweetflag Spreadwing | Lestes forcipatus | 7 | 514 | 1 | 2024 |
Cobra Clubtail | Gomphurus vastus | 6 | 471 | 0 | 2021 |
Springtime Darner | Basiaeschna janata | 6 | 374 | 0 | 1993 |
Great Spreadwing | Archilestes grandis | 5 | 959 | 2 | 2024 |
Spot-winged Glider | Pantala hymenaea | 5 | 562 | 1 | 2024 |
Comet Darner | Anax longipes | 5 | 605 | 0 | 2023 |
Royal River Cruiser | Macromia taeniolata | 4 | 598 | 1 | 2024 |
Band-winged Meadowhawk | Sympetrum semicinctum | 4 | 931 | 0 | 2023 |
Swift River Cruiser | Macromia illinoiensis | 4 | 760 | 0 | 2021 |
Black-shouldered Spinyleg | Dromogomphus spinosus | 4 | 671 | 0 | 2016 |
Lilypad Forktail | Ischnura kellicotti | 3 | 858 | 1 | 2024 |
Sedge Sprite | Nehalennia irene | 3 | 396 | 0 | 2021 |
Swamp Darner | Epiaeschna heros | 2 | 715 | 1 | 2024 |
White-faced Meadowhawk | Sympetrum obtrusum | 2 | 305 | 1 | 2024 |
Gray Petaltail | Tachopteryx thoreyi | 2 | 446 | 0 | 2021 |
Mocha Emerald | Somatochlora linearis | 2 | 202 | 0 | 1960 |
Slender Baskettail | Epitheca costalis | 1 | 24 | 1 | 2024 |
Shadow Darner | Aeshna umbrosa | 1 | 1,187 | 0 | 2023 |
Ashy Clubtail | Phanogomphus lividus | 1 | 1,009 | 0 | 2021 |
Vesper Bluet | Enallagma vesperum | 1 | 922 | 0 | 2022 |
Turquoise Bluet | Enallagma divagans | 1 | 918 | 0 | 2021 |
Rainbow Bluet | Enallagma antennatum | 1 | 485 | 0 | 2020 |
Swift Setwing | Dythemis velox | 1 | 447 | 0 | 2022 |
Four-spotted Skimmer | Libellula quadrimaculata | 1 | 295 | 0 | 2023 |
Southern Spreadwing | Lestes australis | 1 | 284 | 0 | 2019 |
Clamp-tipped Emerald | Somatochlora tenebrosa | 1 | 217 | 0 | 1962 |
Variegated Meadowhawk | Sympetrum corruptum | 1 | 149 | 0 | 2020 |
Twin-spotted Spiketail | Zoraena maculata | 1 | 95 | 0 | 1994 |
Uhler's Sundragon | Helocordulia uhleri | 1 | 63 | 0 | 1962 |
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 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cyrano Darner | Nasiaeschna pentacantha | 321 | 45 | 7 | mid Jun |
Great Blue Skimmer | Libellula vibrans | 501 | 81 | 6 | Jun-Jul |
Red Saddlebags | Tramea onusta | 146 | 38 | 6 | Jun-Jul |
Russet-tipped Clubtail | Stylurus plagiatus | 390 | 314 | 4 | Sep |
Rapids Clubtail | Phanogomphus quadricolor | 377 | 86 | 4 | Jun |
Arrow Clubtail | Stylurus spiniceps | 321 | 27 | 4 | late Aug-early Sep |
Eastern Red Damsel | Amphiagrion saucium | 1,420 | 146 | 3 | late May-early Jun |
Handsome Clubtail | Gomphurus crassus | 209 | 38 | 3 | late May-early Jun |
Emerald Spreadwing | Lestes dryas | 567 | 18 | 3 | Jun |
Swamp Spreadwing | Lestes vigilax | 608 | 15 | 3 | Jul |
Lancet Clubtail | Phanogomphus exilis | 1,803 | 10 | 3 | early Jun |
Plains Clubtail | Gomphurus externus | 236 | 8 | 3 | mid Jun-mid Jul |
Tule Bluet | Enallagma carunculatum | 569 | 3 | 3 | Jun-Jul |
Elusive Clubtail | Stylurus notatus | 137 | 119 | 2 | Sep |
Paiute Dancer | Argia alberta | 369 | 49 | 2 | Jun |
Seepage Dancer | Argia bipunctulata | 1,230 | 26 | 2 | Jun-Jul |
Smoky Shadowdragon | Neurocordulia molesta | 18 | 7 | 2 | Jun |
Golden-winged Skimmer | Libellula auripennis | 45 | 5 | 2 | late Jun |
Elegant Spreadwing | Lestes inaequalis | 580 | 4 | 2 | Jun |
Stream Cruiser | Didymops transversa | 140 | 3 | 2 | May |
Gilded River Cruiser | Macromia pacifica | 88 | 3 | 2 | late Jul |
Dot-tailed Whiteface | Leucorrhinia intacta | 1,702 | 2 | 2 | early Jun |
Sphagnum Sprite | Nehalennia gracilis | 443 | 59 | 1 | late Jun-early Jul |
Duckweed Firetail | Telebasis byersi | 14 | 14 | 1 | Jul |
Brown Spiketail | Zoraena bilineata | 240 | 9 | 1 | late May-early Jun |
Smoky Rubyspot | Hetaerina titia | 377 | 4 | 1 | early Sep |
Macromia Hybrid | Macromia pacifica x taeniolata | 100 | 4 | 1 | late Jul-mid Aug |
Band-winged Dragonlet | Erythrodiplax umbrata | 16 | 4 | 1 | Jun-Aug |
Rambur's Forktail | Ischnura ramburii | 15 | 4 | 1 | Jul |
Stygian Shadowdragon | Neurocordulia yamaskanensis | 68 | 2 | 1 | late Jun |
Lance-tipped Darner | Aeshna constricta | 361 | 1 | 1 | Sep |
Jade Clubtail | Arigomphus submedianus | 115 | 1 | 1 | late Jun-late Aug |
Double-ringed Pennant | Celithemis verna | 64 | 1 | 1 | late Jun |
Striped Saddlebags | Tramea darwini | 33 | 1 | 1 | early Oct |
Riverine Clubtail | Stylurus amnicola | 15 | 1 | 1 | Aug |
Aurora Damsel | Chromagrion conditum | 576 | 0 | 0 | late May-early Jun |
Lyre-tipped Spreadwing | Lestes unguiculatus | 210 | 0 | 0 | Jun-Jul |
Skillet Clubtail | Gomphurus ventricosus | 26 | 0 | 0 | Jun |
Wabash River Cruiser | Macromia wabashensis | 25 | 0 | 0 | Aug |
Umber Shadowdragon | Neurocordulia obsoleta | 6 | 0 | 0 | Jun |
Taiga Bluet | Coenagrion resolutum | 4 | 0 | 0 |
Warren County is located in the Till Plains ecoregion.
Places to Visit
60 species have been documented in Caesar Creek State Park.
See "Clubtails of the Great Miami" in issue 30-11 of the Ohio Dragon Flier. Includes map and suggested river access points.
Caesar Creek Lake Wildlife Area. Located off N. Clarksville Road, just north of the visitor center. (See map at caesarcreekparkmap.pdf (ohiodnr.gov)). There are two gravel parking lots with adequate parking. No restroom facilities but there are restrooms at the visitor center, a five-minute drive down the road. This site has a restored prairie with two large, shallow, well-vegetated wetlands. Deer ticks can be bad here, so take precautions against ticks. Spatterdock Darners patrol the wetlands in late May and June, and Flag-tailed Spinylegs can be found here in late summer. Other noteworthy species include Comet Darners, Spangled Skimmers, Banded Pennants, Blue-faced Meadowhawks, and Amber-winged and Sweetflag Spreadwings. The site is attractive to migrants such as gliders and saddlebags.
Great Miami River access at Franklin – located on Dayton-Oxford Rd. on the west side of the river, at GM mile marker 59.2. (See map at Water Trail - Great Miami River National Water Trail - Great Miami Riverway). There is a large, flat area of river shoreline accessible here, if the river is not too high. Parking is very limited. There is a small parking lot with about half a dozen spots. No restroom facilities. Head north from the parking area, and then follow a short trail down the embankment to the river. There is poison ivy for a short stretch along this embankment, so wearing long pants is recommended. The river bank itself is open and sunny and mostly gravel, with abundant water willow. This area is sometimes mowed by the city, but the vegetation may be quite thick in spots if not recently mowed. There are small numbers of Cobra and Midland Clubtails here in late spring & early summer, and Eastern Ringtails in late summer & early fall.
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