Adams County
Known species county: 90
Total Observations county: 1742
Population: 28,105
Area in Square Miles: 587
People per Square Mile: 48
Observations per Square Mile: 3.0
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 | Adams Total | Ohio Total | Adams 2023 | Last Sighted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Widow Skimmer | Libellula luctuosa | 116 | 10,352 | 20 | 2023 |
| Eastern Pondhawk | Erythemis simplicicollis | 99 | 13,870 | 15 | 2023 |
| Common Whitetail | Plathemis lydia | 86 | 9,898 | 10 | 2023 |
| Blue Dasher | Pachydiplax longipennis | 72 | 13,169 | 5 | 2023 |
| Slaty Skimmer | Libellula incesta | 58 | 4,032 | 5 | 2023 |
| Swift River Cruiser | Macromia illinoiensis | 56 | 688 | 3 | 2023 |
| Fragile Forktail | Ischnura posita | 51 | 10,727 | 5 | 2023 |
| Halloween Pennant | Celithemis eponina | 49 | 3,628 | 11 | 2023 |
| Ebony Jewelwing | Calopteryx maculata | 48 | 7,169 | 4 | 2023 |
| Eastern Amberwing | Perithemis tenera | 47 | 8,819 | 10 | 2023 |
| Royal River Cruiser | Macromia taeniolata | 47 | 536 | 1 | 2023 |
| Midland Clubtail | Gomphurus fraternus | 41 | 802 | 4 | 2023 |
| Black-shouldered Spinyleg | Dromogomphus spinosus | 37 | 542 | 2 | 2023 |
| Blue-fronted Dancer | Argia apicalis | 36 | 5,692 | 1 | 2023 |
| Spangled Skimmer | Libellula cyanea | 34 | 1,037 | 2 | 2023 |
| Powdered Dancer | Argia moesta | 33 | 4,247 | 2 | 2023 |
| Stream Bluet | Enallagma exsulans | 31 | 4,097 | 5 | 2023 |
| Fawn Darner | Boyeria vinosa | 30 | 440 | 0 | 2016 |
| Eastern Forktail | Ischnura verticalis | 29 | 13,326 | 3 | 2023 |
| Violet Dancer | Argia fumipennis violacea | 28 | 6,247 | 2 | 2023 |
| Calico Pennant | Celithemis elisa | 27 | 2,752 | 0 | 2022 |
| Blue Corporal | Ladona deplanata | 27 | 446 | 0 | 2022 |
| Double-striped Bluet | Enallagma basidens | 26 | 4,313 | 3 | 2023 |
| Autumn Meadowhawk | Sympetrum vicinum | 26 | 6,971 | 0 | 2022 |
| Common Green Darner | Anax junius | 25 | 4,146 | 2 | 2023 |
| Familiar Bluet | Enallagma civile | 24 | 5,111 | 1 | 2023 |
| Skimming Bluet | Enallagma geminatum | 24 | 3,109 | 0 | 2021 |
| American Rubyspot | Hetaerina americana | 22 | 3,761 | 2 | 2023 |
| Banded Pennant | Celithemis fasciata | 22 | 684 | 2 | 2023 |
| Gray Petaltail | Tachopteryx thoreyi | 22 | 390 | 2 | 2023 |
| Prince Baskettail | Epitheca princeps | 22 | 2,390 | 1 | 2023 |
| Flag-tailed Spinyleg | Dromogomphus spoliatus | 21 | 743 | 2 | 2023 |
| Arrowhead Spiketail | Cordulegaster obliqua | 20 | 172 | 0 | 2022 |
| Blue-ringed Dancer | Argia sedula | 19 | 2,364 | 2 | 2023 |
| Azure Bluet | Enallagma aspersum | 18 | 2,115 | 2 | 2023 |
| Orange Bluet | Enallagma signatum | 18 | 3,184 | 1 | 2023 |
| Citrine Forktail | Ischnura hastata | 18 | 899 | 0 | 2019 |
| Stygian Shadowdragon | Neurocordulia yamaskanensis | 18 | 68 | 0 | 2021 |
| Stream Cruiser | Didymops transversa | 16 | 121 | 1 | 2023 |
| Black Saddlebags | Tramea lacerata | 15 | 2,839 | 0 | 2019 |
| Springtime Darner | Basiaeschna janata | 15 | 298 | 0 | 2021 |
| Twelve-spotted Skimmer | Libellula pulchella | 14 | 3,377 | 0 | 2021 |
| Dusky Dancer | Argia translata | 13 | 1,376 | 5 | 2023 |
| Clamp-tipped Emerald | Somatochlora tenebrosa | 13 | 208 | 2 | 2023 |
| Unicorn Clubtail | Arigomphus villosipes | 13 | 1,687 | 1 | 2023 |
| Common Baskettail | Epitheca cynosura | 13 | 748 | 0 | 2020 |
| Dragonhunter | Hagenius brevistylus | 12 | 439 | 0 | 2021 |
| Painted Skimmer | Libellula semifasciata | 11 | 1,056 | 0 | 2022 |
| Carolina Saddlebags | Tramea carolina | 11 | 1,048 | 0 | 2022 |
| Blue-faced Meadowhawk | Sympetrum ambiguum | 10 | 1,204 | 0 | 2019 |
| Uhler's Sundragon | Helocordulia uhleri | 9 | 55 | 0 | 2018 |
| Wandering Glider | Pantala flavescens | 8 | 1,241 | 2 | 2023 |
| Tiger Spiketail | Cordulegaster erronea | 8 | 106 | 1 | 2023 |
| Ashy Clubtail | Phanogomphus lividus | 8 | 874 | 0 | 2021 |
| Comet Darner | Anax longipes | 8 | 515 | 0 | 2019 |
| Eastern Least Clubtail | Stylogomphus albistylus | 7 | 262 | 0 | 2022 |
| Slender Spreadwing | Lestes rectangularis | 6 | 3,492 | 0 | 2015 |
| Shadow Darner | Aeshna umbrosa | 6 | 1,031 | 0 | 2019 |
| Great Spreadwing | Archilestes grandis | 6 | 824 | 0 | 2013 |
| Mocha Emerald | Somatochlora linearis | 6 | 192 | 0 | 2019 |
| Allegheny River Cruiser | Macromia alleghaniensis | 6 | 16 | 0 | 2002 |
| Lancet Clubtail | Phanogomphus exilis | 5 | 1,518 | 1 | 2023 |
| Spotted Spreadwing | Lestes congener | 5 | 731 | 0 | 2022 |
| Swamp Darner | Epiaeschna heros | 5 | 620 | 0 | 2020 |
| Pronghorn Clubtail | Phanogomphus graslinellus | 5 | 451 | 0 | 2005 |
| Blue-tipped Dancer | Argia tibialis | 4 | 3,785 | 0 | 2005 |
| Ruby Meadowhawk | Sympetrum rubicundulum | 4 | 942 | 0 | 2004 |
| Amber-winged Spreadwing | Lestes eurinus | 4 | 610 | 0 | 2015 |
| Aurora Damsel | Chromagrion conditum | 4 | 471 | 0 | 2015 |
| Great Blue Skimmer | Libellula vibrans | 4 | 467 | 0 | 2019 |
| Spot-winged Glider | Pantala hymenaea | 3 | 478 | 0 | 2022 |
| Arrow Clubtail | Stylurus spiniceps | 3 | 305 | 0 | 2016 |
| Rapids Clubtail | Phanogomphus quadricolor | 3 | 287 | 0 | 2017 |
| Four-spotted Skimmer | Libellula quadrimaculata | 3 | 285 | 0 | 2009 |
| Green-faced Clubtail | Hylogomphus viridifrons | 3 | 59 | 0 | 2015 |
| Turquoise Bluet | Enallagma divagans | 2 | 768 | 1 | 2023 |
| Red Saddlebags | Tramea onusta | 2 | 145 | 1 | 2023 |
| Westfall's Slender Bluet | Enallagma traviatum westfalli | 2 | 1,991 | 0 | 2009 |
| Eastern Red Damsel | Amphiagrion saucium | 2 | 1,230 | 0 | 2021 |
| Cobra Clubtail | Gomphurus vastus | 2 | 377 | 0 | 2015 |
| Southern Spreadwing | Lestes australis | 2 | 255 | 0 | 2008 |
| Handsome Clubtail | Gomphurus crassus | 2 | 170 | 0 | 2015 |
| Elusive Clubtail | Stylurus notatus | 2 | 101 | 0 | 1996 |
| Russet-tipped Clubtail | Stylurus plagiatus | 1 | 307 | 0 | 1996 |
| White-faced Meadowhawk | Sympetrum obtrusum | 1 | 272 | 0 | 2015 |
| Black-tipped Darner | Aeshna tuberculifera | 1 | 141 | 0 | 2015 |
| Variegated Meadowhawk | Sympetrum corruptum | 1 | 117 | 0 | 2002 |
| Twin-spotted Spiketail | Cordulegaster maculata | 1 | 90 | 0 | 2003 |
| Smoky Shadowdragon | Neurocordulia molesta | 1 | 18 | 0 | 2021 |
| Northern Pygmy Clubtail | Lanthus parvulus | 1 | 7 | 0 | 1987 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vesper Bluet | Enallagma vesperum | 740 | 4 | 4 | Jun |
| Cyrano Darner | Nasiaeschna pentacantha | 277 | 5 | 2 | mid Jun |
| Swamp Spreadwing | Lestes vigilax | 544 | 4 | 2 | Jul |
| Elegant Spreadwing | Lestes inaequalis | 479 | 4 | 2 | Jun |
| Yellow-sided Skimmer | Libellula flavida | 92 | 86 | 1 | late Jul |
| Seepage Dancer | Argia bipunctulata | 1,028 | 40 | 1 | Jun-Jul |
| Lilypad Forktail | Ischnura kellicotti | 733 | 21 | 1 | Jun-Sep |
| Common Sanddragon | Progomphus obscurus | 141 | 10 | 1 | late Jun-mid Jul |
| Golden-winged Skimmer | Libellula auripennis | 44 | 4 | 1 | late Jun |
| Sphagnum Sprite | Nehalennia gracilis | 370 | 3 | 1 | late Jun-early Jul |
| Little Blue Dragonlet | Erythrodiplax minuscula | 5 | 3 | 1 | Jun |
| Brown Spiketail | Cordulegaster bilineata | 216 | 2 | 1 | late May-early Jun |
| Sweetflag Spreadwing | Lestes forcipatus | 443 | 1 | 1 | Jul-Aug |
| Green-striped Darner | Aeshna verticalis | 262 | 1 | 1 | Sep |
| Plains Clubtail | Gomphurus externus | 189 | 1 | 1 | mid Jun-mid Jul |
| Northern Spreadwing | Lestes disjunctus | 24 | 1 | 1 | Jun-Aug |
| Dot-tailed Whiteface | Leucorrhinia intacta | 1,357 | 0 | 0 | early Jun |
| Rainbow Bluet | Enallagma antennatum | 458 | 0 | 0 | Jun |
| Sedge Sprite | Nehalennia irene | 359 | 0 | 0 | Jun |
| Smoky Rubyspot | Hetaerina titia | 346 | 0 | 0 | early Sep |
| Cherry-faced Meadowhawk | Sympetrum internum | 14 | 0 | 0 | Sep |
| Umber Shadowdragon | Neurocordulia obsoleta | 6 | 0 | 0 | Jun |
Located on the southern edge of Ohio and bordering the Ohio river, almost 57% of Adams County is forested. The largest waterway within the county is Brush Creek, which runs across the entire county from north to the Ohio River. Typical of counties located along the Allegheny Escarpment, it is compromised of 3 physiographic regions. A totally unglaciated county, the area along the Ohio and much of the center of the county is part of the Outer Bluegrass Region. The northwest of the county is Till Plain, and the eastern 1/3 is Unglaciated Allegheny Plateau.
Places to Visit
The 20,000 acre Edge of Appalachia Preserve includes rugged woodland, prairie openings, waterfalls, giant promontories and clear streams. 41 odonata species have been documented there. It provides 2 access points to Brush Creek, at 3223 Waggoner Riffle Road, West Union, OH, and at 653 Waggoner Riffle Road, Lynx, OH.
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 18 January 2024