Wayne County
Known species: 80
Total Observations: 2,095
Population: 115,071
Area in Square Miles: 555
People per Square Mile: 207
Observations per Square Mile: 2.8
Percent of State Species: 46%
Percent of State Observations: 0.8%
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 | Wayne Total | Ohio Total | Wayne 2024 | Last Sighted |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Blue Dasher | Pachydiplax longipennis | 197 | 15,601 | 17 | 2024 |
Eastern Pondhawk | Erythemis simplicicollis | 183 | 16,365 | 38 | 2024 |
Common Whitetail | Plathemis lydia | 167 | 12,022 | 31 | 2024 |
Fragile Forktail | Ischnura posita | 148 | 13,199 | 52 | 2024 |
Eastern Forktail | Ischnura verticalis | 127 | 15,992 | 40 | 2024 |
Autumn Meadowhawk | Sympetrum vicinum | 117 | 8,456 | 68 | 2024 |
Eastern Amberwing | Perithemis tenera | 85 | 10,887 | 9 | 2024 |
Sphagnum Sprite | Nehalennia gracilis | 83 | 443 | 18 | 2024 |
Ebony Jewelwing | Calopteryx maculata | 83 | 8,606 | 15 | 2024 |
Widow Skimmer | Libellula luctuosa | 77 | 11,931 | 11 | 2024 |
Familiar Bluet | Enallagma civile | 63 | 6,173 | 25 | 2024 |
Wandering Glider | Pantala flavescens | 50 | 1,523 | 15 | 2024 |
Common Green Darner | Anax junius | 47 | 5,160 | 8 | 2024 |
Halloween Pennant | Celithemis eponina | 45 | 4,187 | 10 | 2024 |
Band-winged Meadowhawk | Sympetrum semicinctum | 44 | 931 | 26 | 2024 |
Twelve-spotted Skimmer | Libellula pulchella | 42 | 3,740 | 3 | 2024 |
Black Saddlebags | Tramea lacerata | 38 | 3,380 | 5 | 2024 |
Slender Spreadwing | Lestes rectangularis | 35 | 3,904 | 11 | 2024 |
Skimming Bluet | Enallagma geminatum | 32 | 3,832 | 22 | 2024 |
Fawn Darner | Boyeria vinosa | 30 | 519 | 2 | 2024 |
Aurora Damsel | Chromagrion conditum | 24 | 576 | 20 | 2024 |
Orange Bluet | Enallagma signatum | 24 | 3,791 | 12 | 2024 |
Violet Dancer | Argia fumipennis violacea | 22 | 7,557 | 9 | 2024 |
Blue-fronted Dancer | Argia apicalis | 20 | 6,584 | 5 | 2024 |
Stream Bluet | Enallagma exsulans | 19 | 4,803 | 8 | 2024 |
Powdered Dancer | Argia moesta | 18 | 5,141 | 16 | 2024 |
Eastern Red Damsel | Amphiagrion saucium | 17 | 1,420 | 7 | 2024 |
Painted Skimmer | Libellula semifasciata | 16 | 1,208 | 8 | 2024 |
Blue-tipped Dancer | Argia tibialis | 16 | 4,492 | 3 | 2024 |
Azure Bluet | Enallagma aspersum | 16 | 2,488 | 2 | 2024 |
Unicorn Clubtail | Arigomphus villosipes | 16 | 2,065 | 0 | 2022 |
Great Spreadwing | Archilestes grandis | 14 | 959 | 5 | 2024 |
Spot-winged Glider | Pantala hymenaea | 10 | 562 | 2 | 2024 |
American Rubyspot | Hetaerina americana | 9 | 4,444 | 7 | 2024 |
Ashy Clubtail | Phanogomphus lividus | 9 | 1,009 | 2 | 2024 |
Prince Baskettail | Epitheca princeps | 8 | 2,788 | 2 | 2024 |
Double-striped Bluet | Enallagma basidens | 8 | 5,343 | 1 | 2024 |
Swamp Darner | Epiaeschna heros | 8 | 715 | 0 | 2022 |
Spatterdock Darner | Rhionaeschna mutata | 8 | 396 | 0 | 2023 |
Shadow Darner | Aeshna umbrosa | 7 | 1,187 | 2 | 2024 |
Dot-tailed Whiteface | Leucorrhinia intacta | 7 | 1,702 | 1 | 2024 |
Elegant Spreadwing | Lestes inaequalis | 7 | 580 | 1 | 2024 |
Sedge Sprite | Nehalennia irene | 6 | 396 | 1 | 2024 |
Four-spotted Skimmer | Libellula quadrimaculata | 6 | 295 | 1 | 2024 |
Ruby Meadowhawk | Sympetrum rubicundulum | 6 | 965 | 0 | 2004 |
Common Baskettail | Epitheca cynosura | 5 | 874 | 2 | 2024 |
Westfall's Slender Bluet | Enallagma traviatum westfalli | 5 | 2,367 | 0 | 1997 |
Rainbow Bluet | Enallagma antennatum | 4 | 485 | 2 | 2024 |
Amber-winged Spreadwing | Lestes eurinus | 4 | 706 | 1 | 2024 |
Green-striped Darner | Aeshna verticalis | 4 | 342 | 1 | 2024 |
Calico Pennant | Celithemis elisa | 4 | 3,194 | 0 | 2003 |
Smoky Rubyspot | Hetaerina titia | 3 | 377 | 3 | 2024 |
Slaty Skimmer | Libellula incesta | 3 | 4,920 | 0 | 2022 |
Blue-ringed Dancer | Argia sedula | 3 | 2,837 | 0 | 2023 |
Midland Clubtail | Gomphurus fraternus | 3 | 927 | 0 | 2016 |
Royal River Cruiser | Macromia taeniolata | 3 | 598 | 0 | 2023 |
Emerald Spreadwing | Lestes dryas | 3 | 567 | 0 | 2019 |
Great Blue Skimmer | Libellula vibrans | 3 | 501 | 0 | 2022 |
Springtime Darner | Basiaeschna janata | 3 | 374 | 0 | 1939 |
Lance-tipped Darner | Aeshna constricta | 3 | 361 | 0 | 2017 |
Plains Clubtail | Gomphurus externus | 2 | 236 | 2 | 2024 |
Carolina Saddlebags | Tramea carolina | 2 | 1,263 | 1 | 2024 |
Lancet Clubtail | Phanogomphus exilis | 2 | 1,803 | 0 | 2018 |
Citrine Forktail | Ischnura hastata | 2 | 962 | 0 | 2021 |
Spotted Spreadwing | Lestes congener | 2 | 860 | 0 | 1987 |
Comet Darner | Anax longipes | 2 | 605 | 0 | 2019 |
Arrow Clubtail | Stylurus spiniceps | 2 | 321 | 0 | 2023 |
Dusky Clubtail | Phanogomphus spicatus | 2 | 258 | 0 | 1995 |
Variegated Meadowhawk | Sympetrum corruptum | 1 | 149 | 1 | 2024 |
Spangled Skimmer | Libellula cyanea | 1 | 1,197 | 0 | 2022 |
Dragonhunter | Hagenius brevistylus | 1 | 589 | 0 | 1984 |
Tule Bluet | Enallagma carunculatum | 1 | 569 | 0 | 1912 |
Sweetflag Spreadwing | Lestes forcipatus | 1 | 514 | 0 | 1969 |
Eastern Least Clubtail | Stylogomphus albistylus | 1 | 329 | 0 | 2023 |
White-faced Meadowhawk | Sympetrum obtrusum | 1 | 305 | 0 | 1960 |
Southern Spreadwing | Lestes australis | 1 | 284 | 0 | 1969 |
Lyre-tipped Spreadwing | Lestes unguiculatus | 1 | 210 | 0 | 1938 |
Twin-spotted Spiketail | Zoraena maculata | 1 | 95 | 0 | 2023 |
Marsh Bluet | Enallagma ebrium | 1 | 66 | 0 | 1991 |
Riffle Snaketail | Ophiogomphus carolus | 1 | 45 | 0 | 1993 |
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 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Swamp Spreadwing | Lestes vigilax | 608 | 52 | 5 | Jul |
Black-tipped Darner | Aeshna tuberculifera | 163 | 51 | 4 | late Aug-early Sep |
Swift River Cruiser | Macromia illinoiensis | 760 | 37 | 4 | Jul-Aug |
Gray Petaltail | Tachopteryx thoreyi | 446 | 22 | 4 | Jun |
Lilypad Forktail | Ischnura kellicotti | 858 | 192 | 3 | Jun-Sep |
Dusky Dancer | Argia translata | 1,681 | 75 | 3 | Jul |
Turquoise Bluet | Enallagma divagans | 918 | 69 | 3 | May-Jun |
Vesper Bluet | Enallagma vesperum | 922 | 54 | 3 | Jun |
Cyrano Darner | Nasiaeschna pentacantha | 321 | 22 | 3 | mid Jun |
Mocha Emerald | Somatochlora linearis | 202 | 20 | 3 | late Jun-late Aug |
Arrowhead Spiketail | Zoraena obliqua | 189 | 15 | 3 | late May-early Jun |
Red Saddlebags | Tramea onusta | 146 | 11 | 3 | Jun-Jul |
Clamp-tipped Emerald | Somatochlora tenebrosa | 217 | 10 | 3 | Aug |
Blue-faced Meadowhawk | Sympetrum ambiguum | 1,452 | 77 | 2 | late Aug-mid Sep |
Racket-tailed Emerald | Dorocordulia libera | 66 | 23 | 2 | Jun |
Rapids Clubtail | Phanogomphus quadricolor | 377 | 20 | 2 | Jun |
Delta-spotted Spiketail | Zoraena diastatops | 142 | 11 | 2 | early Jun |
Ocellated Darner | Boyeria grafiana | 53 | 11 | 2 | Sep |
Tiger Spiketail | Zoraena erronea | 126 | 9 | 2 | Jul |
Rusty Snaketail | Ophiogomphus rupinsulensis | 348 | 6 | 2 | Jun |
Brush-tipped Emerald | Somatochlora walshii | 17 | 6 | 2 | mid Jun-mid Jul |
Black-shouldered Spinyleg | Dromogomphus spinosus | 671 | 4 | 2 | Jun-Jul |
Southern Pygmy Clubtail | Lanthus vernalis | 121 | 2 | 2 | late May-early Jun |
Macromia Hybrid | Macromia pacifica x taeniolata | 100 | 2 | 2 | late Jul-mid Aug |
Cobra Clubtail | Gomphurus vastus | 471 | 53 | 1 | Jun |
Seepage Dancer | Argia bipunctulata | 1,230 | 42 | 1 | Jun-Jul |
Elfin Skimmer | Nannothemis bella | 555 | 23 | 1 | Jun-Jul |
Stream Cruiser | Didymops transversa | 140 | 22 | 1 | May |
Hagen's Bluet | Enallagma hageni | 85 | 7 | 1 | Jun |
Harlequin Darner | Gomphaeschna furcillata | 126 | 6 | 1 | late May-early Jun |
Slender Baskettail | Epitheca costalis | 24 | 4 | 1 | late May |
Rambur's Forktail | Ischnura ramburii | 15 | 4 | 1 | Jul |
Chalk-fronted Corporal | Ladona julia | 59 | 3 | 1 | late May |
Lilypad Clubtail | Arigomphus furcifer | 137 | 2 | 1 | early Jun |
Gilded River Cruiser | Macromia pacifica | 88 | 2 | 1 | late Jul |
Scarlet Skimmer | Crocothemis servilia | 2 | 2 | 1 | Jul |
Handsome Clubtail | Gomphurus crassus | 209 | 1 | 1 | late May-early Jun |
Beaverpond Baskettail | Epitheca canis | 63 | 1 | 1 | May |
Golden-winged Skimmer | Libellula auripennis | 45 | 1 | 1 | late Jun |
Striped Saddlebags | Tramea darwini | 33 | 1 | 1 | early Oct |
Wabash River Cruiser | Macromia wabashensis | 25 | 1 | 1 | Aug |
Banded Pennant | Celithemis fasciata | 860 | 0 | 0 | Jul |
Pronghorn Clubtail | Phanogomphus graslinellus | 503 | 0 | 0 | late May-early Jun |
Splendid Clubtail | Gomphurus lineatifrons | 139 | 0 | 0 | Jun |
Green-faced Clubtail | Hylogomphus viridifrons | 98 | 0 | 0 | mid Jun |
River Jewelwing | Calopteryx aequabilis | 81 | 0 | 0 | early Jun |
Boreal Bluet | Enallagma boreale | 44 | 0 | 0 | Jun |
Northern Spreadwing | Lestes disjunctus | 24 | 0 | 0 | Jun-Aug |
Northern Pygmy Clubtail | Lanthus parvulus | 7 | 0 | 0 | Jun |
Appalachian Jewelwing | Calopteryx angustipennis | 4 | 0 | 0 | |
Spine-crowned Clubtail | Hylogomphus abbreviatus | 3 | 0 | 0 | Jun |
Places to Visit
The 1,536-acre Funk Bottoms Wildlife Area consists of seasonally flooded moist soil meadows and some bottomland hardwoods. Parking and wetland access is available just SE of the hamlet of Funk, where the Observation Tower is located. 19 species have been identified. A new property to the north, on Angling Road, has not yet been explored. No facilities.
Most of the 5,700 acre Killbuck Marsh Wildlife Area is located in Wayne County. 22 species have been identified. The ODNR map shows designated parking areas, but the township roads are lightly travelled, and there are many places where the water can be accessed by parking on the berm. Be aware that the area between Force Road (P5 & P19 on the map) and Coshocton CR 1 (P22) is a wildlife Refuge area and is closed to the public (hatchmarked on map). The Wildlife Area is unimproved, with few trails and no facilities. Holmesville (Holmes) on SR 83 has a convenience store/gas station, and the county seat, Wooster, has many restaurants and stores.
Browns Lake Bog Preserve. This 100-acre preserve has several unique habitats, including a bog with floating sphagnum moss mat and a 7-acre kettle lake. 15 species have been identified, here, including Sedge Sprite. Spaghnum Sprite is the most commonly seen species. No facilities.
Shreve Lake Wildlife Area. This 228 acre area includes a 58-acre lake. 16 species have been observed. No facilities.
The recently opened William J Robertson Nature Preserve is a 210 acre reclaimed industrial area in Rittman, in the NE corner of the county featuring multiple ponds. 25 species have been observed. Restrooms and picnic pavilion.
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.
Located in the Glaciated Allegheny Plateau ecoregion, approximately 70% of Wayne County is agricultural. It has no major rivers, but the county is split north to south by the upper Killbuck Creek, and a tributary of the Tuscarawas bisects the NE corner.
Brown's Lake Bog
Page updated 3 January 2025