Washington County
Known species: 77
Total Observations: 2,342
Population: 61,310
Area in Square Miles: 632
People per Square Mile: 96
Observations per Square Mile: 3.1
Percent of State Species: 45%
Percent of State Observations: 0.9%
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 | Washington Total | Ohio Total | Washington 2024 | Last Sighted |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Eastern Pondhawk | Erythemis simplicicollis | 143 | 16,365 | 24 | 2024 |
Blue-fronted Dancer | Argia apicalis | 124 | 6,584 | 27 | 2024 |
Blue Dasher | Pachydiplax longipennis | 118 | 15,601 | 23 | 2024 |
Common Whitetail | Plathemis lydia | 116 | 12,022 | 15 | 2024 |
Fragile Forktail | Ischnura posita | 112 | 13,199 | 17 | 2024 |
Stream Bluet | Enallagma exsulans | 111 | 4,803 | 33 | 2024 |
Eastern Amberwing | Perithemis tenera | 108 | 10,887 | 14 | 2024 |
Familiar Bluet | Enallagma civile | 84 | 6,173 | 3 | 2024 |
Widow Skimmer | Libellula luctuosa | 82 | 11,931 | 17 | 2024 |
American Rubyspot | Hetaerina americana | 79 | 4,444 | 3 | 2024 |
Powdered Dancer | Argia moesta | 76 | 5,141 | 25 | 2024 |
Black-shouldered Spinyleg | Dromogomphus spinosus | 75 | 671 | 27 | 2024 |
Violet Dancer | Argia fumipennis violacea | 70 | 7,557 | 8 | 2024 |
Orange Bluet | Enallagma signatum | 70 | 3,791 | 0 | 2023 |
Blue-tipped Dancer | Argia tibialis | 69 | 4,492 | 22 | 2024 |
Ebony Jewelwing | Calopteryx maculata | 68 | 8,606 | 7 | 2024 |
Eastern Forktail | Ischnura verticalis | 64 | 15,992 | 9 | 2024 |
Swift River Cruiser | Macromia illinoiensis | 60 | 760 | 3 | 2024 |
Prince Baskettail | Epitheca princeps | 56 | 2,788 | 6 | 2024 |
Dusky Dancer | Argia translata | 54 | 1,681 | 10 | 2024 |
Skimming Bluet | Enallagma geminatum | 42 | 3,832 | 13 | 2024 |
Slaty Skimmer | Libellula incesta | 39 | 4,920 | 12 | 2024 |
Unicorn Clubtail | Arigomphus villosipes | 36 | 2,065 | 6 | 2024 |
Double-striped Bluet | Enallagma basidens | 34 | 5,343 | 3 | 2024 |
Autumn Meadowhawk | Sympetrum vicinum | 34 | 8,456 | 0 | 2020 |
Smoky Rubyspot | Hetaerina titia | 34 | 377 | 0 | 2021 |
Common Green Darner | Anax junius | 31 | 5,160 | 0 | 2023 |
Fawn Darner | Boyeria vinosa | 30 | 519 | 0 | 2020 |
Black Saddlebags | Tramea lacerata | 26 | 3,380 | 1 | 2024 |
Spangled Skimmer | Libellula cyanea | 23 | 1,197 | 10 | 2024 |
Dragonhunter | Hagenius brevistylus | 20 | 589 | 4 | 2024 |
Westfall's Slender Bluet | Enallagma traviatum westfalli | 19 | 2,367 | 5 | 2024 |
Blue-ringed Dancer | Argia sedula | 19 | 2,837 | 0 | 2020 |
Common Baskettail | Epitheca cynosura | 17 | 874 | 0 | 2019 |
Twelve-spotted Skimmer | Libellula pulchella | 16 | 3,740 | 4 | 2024 |
Lancet Clubtail | Phanogomphus exilis | 13 | 1,803 | 0 | 2023 |
Common Sanddragon | Progomphus obscurus | 12 | 168 | 6 | 2024 |
Wandering Glider | Pantala flavescens | 12 | 1,523 | 0 | 2020 |
Midland Clubtail | Gomphurus fraternus | 12 | 927 | 0 | 2023 |
Ashy Clubtail | Phanogomphus lividus | 9 | 1,009 | 0 | 2023 |
Halloween Pennant | Celithemis eponina | 8 | 4,187 | 0 | 2023 |
Citrine Forktail | Ischnura hastata | 7 | 962 | 1 | 2024 |
Springtime Darner | Basiaeschna janata | 7 | 374 | 0 | 2023 |
Azure Bluet | Enallagma aspersum | 6 | 2,488 | 2 | 2024 |
Shadow Darner | Aeshna umbrosa | 6 | 1,187 | 0 | 2019 |
Rapids Clubtail | Phanogomphus quadricolor | 6 | 377 | 0 | 2023 |
Arrow Clubtail | Stylurus spiniceps | 6 | 321 | 0 | 2022 |
Russet-tipped Clubtail | Stylurus plagiatus | 5 | 390 | 2 | 2024 |
Spot-winged Glider | Pantala hymenaea | 5 | 562 | 1 | 2024 |
Carolina Saddlebags | Tramea carolina | 5 | 1,263 | 0 | 2023 |
Turquoise Bluet | Enallagma divagans | 5 | 918 | 0 | 2023 |
Royal River Cruiser | Macromia taeniolata | 5 | 598 | 0 | 2018 |
Stream Cruiser | Didymops transversa | 5 | 140 | 0 | 2023 |
Vesper Bluet | Enallagma vesperum | 4 | 922 | 0 | 2018 |
Slender Spreadwing | Lestes rectangularis | 3 | 3,904 | 0 | 1994 |
Calico Pennant | Celithemis elisa | 3 | 3,194 | 0 | 2018 |
Ruby Meadowhawk | Sympetrum rubicundulum | 3 | 965 | 0 | 1994 |
Banded Pennant | Celithemis fasciata | 3 | 860 | 0 | 2017 |
Cobra Clubtail | Gomphurus vastus | 3 | 471 | 0 | 2018 |
Eastern Least Clubtail | Stylogomphus albistylus | 3 | 329 | 0 | 1991 |
Smoky Shadowdragon | Neurocordulia molesta | 3 | 18 | 0 | 1995 |
Mocha Emerald | Somatochlora linearis | 2 | 202 | 2 | 2024 |
Blue Corporal | Ladona deplanata | 2 | 601 | 0 | 2004 |
Elegant Spreadwing | Lestes inaequalis | 2 | 580 | 0 | 2017 |
Southern Spreadwing | Lestes australis | 2 | 284 | 0 | 2020 |
Elusive Clubtail | Stylurus notatus | 2 | 137 | 0 | 2005 |
Green-faced Clubtail | Hylogomphus viridifrons | 2 | 98 | 0 | 2011 |
Twin-spotted Spiketail | Zoraena maculata | 2 | 95 | 0 | 1995 |
Uhler's Sundragon | Helocordulia uhleri | 2 | 63 | 0 | 2004 |
Great Spreadwing | Archilestes grandis | 1 | 959 | 0 | 1994 |
Band-winged Meadowhawk | Sympetrum semicinctum | 1 | 931 | 0 | 2002 |
Green-striped Darner | Aeshna verticalis | 1 | 342 | 0 | 1994 |
Arrowhead Spiketail | Zoraena obliqua | 1 | 189 | 0 | 2015 |
Variegated Meadowhawk | Sympetrum corruptum | 1 | 149 | 0 | 2023 |
Stygian Shadowdragon | Neurocordulia yamaskanensis | 1 | 68 | 0 | 1996 |
Allegheny River Cruiser | Macromia alleghaniensis | 1 | 16 | 0 | 2003 |
Umber Shadowdragon | Neurocordulia obsoleta | 1 | 6 | 0 | 1988 |
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 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Dot-tailed Whiteface | Leucorrhinia intacta | 1,702 | 49 | 3 | early Jun |
Eastern Red Damsel | Amphiagrion saucium | 1,420 | 13 | 3 | late May-early Jun |
Swamp Spreadwing | Lestes vigilax | 608 | 10 | 3 | Jul |
Aurora Damsel | Chromagrion conditum | 576 | 9 | 3 | late May-early Jun |
Lilypad Forktail | Ischnura kellicotti | 858 | 39 | 2 | Jun-Sep |
Blue-faced Meadowhawk | Sympetrum ambiguum | 1,452 | 5 | 2 | late Aug-mid Sep |
Flag-tailed Spinyleg | Dromogomphus spoliatus | 809 | 4 | 2 | late Jul |
Comet Darner | Anax longipes | 605 | 3 | 2 | mid Jun-mid Jul |
Swift Setwing | Dythemis velox | 447 | 3 | 2 | Jul-Aug |
Painted Skimmer | Libellula semifasciata | 1,208 | 2 | 1 | May |
Great Blue Skimmer | Libellula vibrans | 501 | 2 | 1 | Jun-Jul |
Swamp Darner | Epiaeschna heros | 715 | 1 | 1 | late May-early Jun |
Gray Petaltail | Tachopteryx thoreyi | 446 | 1 | 1 | Jun |
Sphagnum Sprite | Nehalennia gracilis | 443 | 1 | 1 | late Jun-early Jul |
White-faced Meadowhawk | Sympetrum obtrusum | 305 | 1 | 1 | Sep |
Tiger Spiketail | Zoraena erronea | 126 | 1 | 1 | Jul |
Amber-winged Spreadwing | Lestes eurinus | 706 | 0 | 0 | Jun-Jul |
Rainbow Bluet | Enallagma antennatum | 485 | 0 | 0 | Jun |
Lance-tipped Darner | Aeshna constricta | 361 | 0 | 0 | Sep |
Clamp-tipped Emerald | Somatochlora tenebrosa | 217 | 0 | 0 | Aug |
Black-tipped Darner | Aeshna tuberculifera | 163 | 0 | 0 | late Aug-early Sep |
Gilded River Cruiser | Macromia pacifica | 88 | 0 | 0 | late Jul |
Marsh Bluet | Enallagma ebrium | 66 | 0 | 0 | mid Jun |
Wabash River Cruiser | Macromia wabashensis | 25 | 0 | 0 | Aug |
Northern Spreadwing | Lestes disjunctus | 24 | 0 | 0 | Jun-Aug |
Northern Pygmy Clubtail | Lanthus parvulus | 7 | 0 | 0 | Jun |
Incurvate Emerald | Somatochlora incurvata | 1 | 0 | 0 | Jul |
Washington County borders the Ohio River and lies in the Unglaciated Allegheny Plateau ecoregion. Marietta was built at the mouth of the Muskingum on the Ohio River. The Little Muskingum River flows across much of the county from east to west, paralleling the Ohio River.
Places to visit
The Muskingum River can be accessed at Luke Chute, Beverly, Lowell and Devola (see Muskingum River Water Trail guide and Muskingum River State Park from ODNR for access points and facilities).
Wayne National Forest provides extensive access to the Little Muskingum River
Kroger Wetlands includes several ponds (depth varies with rainfall and the season). This 20 acre area is located in the city of Marietta, immediately next to Interstate 77. The entrance to the park, on Acme Street just north of the Kroger, is signed. 6 species have been identified here, including Southern Spreadwing
Buckeye Park on Ingleside Avenue, Marietta. 24 species have been observed here, including Variegated Meadowhawk and Citrine Forktail.
Veto Lake Wildlife Area 32 species have been identified here. Pit toilets and picnic tables.
Field Trip Guide from 2016 OOS conference
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