Adams County
Known species county: 91
Total Observations county: 2,193
Population: 28,105
Area in Square Miles: 587
People per Square Mile: 48
Observations per Square Mile: 3.0
Percent of State Species: 53%
Percent of State Observations: .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 | Adams Total | Ohio Total | Adams 2025 | Last Sighted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Widow Skimmer | Libellula luctuosa | 166 | 14,355 | 31 | 2025 |
| Eastern Pondhawk | Erythemis simplicicollis | 129 | 19,534 | 18 | 2025 |
| Common Whitetail | Plathemis lydia | 118 | 14,243 | 16 | 2025 |
| Blue Dasher | Pachydiplax longipennis | 84 | 18,692 | 5 | 2025 |
| Slaty Skimmer | Libellula incesta | 68 | 5,911 | 6 | 2025 |
| Midland Clubtail | Gomphurus fraternus | 65 | 1,012 | 11 | 2025 |
| Halloween Pennant | Celithemis eponina | 63 | 5,028 | 12 | 2025 |
| Eastern Amberwing | Perithemis tenera | 62 | 12,693 | 4 | 2025 |
| Fragile Forktail | Ischnura posita | 62 | 15,432 | 2 | 2025 |
| Ebony Jewelwing | Calopteryx maculata | 61 | 10,084 | 8 | 2025 |
| Swift River Cruiser | Macromia illinoiensis | 58 | 837 | 0 | 2024 |
| Powdered Dancer | Argia moesta | 50 | 6,026 | 9 | 2025 |
| Black-shouldered Spinyleg | Dromogomphus spinosus | 50 | 763 | 4 | 2025 |
| Royal River Cruiser | Macromia taeniolata | 49 | 679 | 0 | 2024 |
| Gray Petaltail | Tachopteryx thoreyi | 47 | 494 | 10 | 2025 |
| Spangled Skimmer | Libellula cyanea | 42 | 1,304 | 6 | 2025 |
| Blue Corporal | Ladona deplanata | 40 | 696 | 5 | 2025 |
| Blue-fronted Dancer | Argia apicalis | 39 | 7,716 | 2 | 2025 |
| Stream Bluet | Enallagma exsulans | 38 | 5,543 | 3 | 2025 |
| Violet Dancer | Argia fumipennis violacea | 35 | 8,693 | 1 | 2025 |
| Calico Pennant | Celithemis elisa | 33 | 3,706 | 5 | 2025 |
| Eastern Forktail | Ischnura verticalis | 33 | 18,549 | 0 | 2024 |
| Fawn Darner | Boyeria vinosa | 30 | 615 | 0 | 2016 |
| Common Green Darner | Anax junius | 29 | 6,289 | 4 | 2025 |
| Autumn Meadowhawk | Sympetrum vicinum | 28 | 10,593 | 1 | 2025 |
| Blue-ringed Dancer | Argia sedula | 28 | 3,416 | 1 | 2025 |
| Flag-tailed Spinyleg | Dromogomphus spoliatus | 28 | 939 | 1 | 2025 |
| Double-striped Bluet | Enallagma basidens | 28 | 6,256 | 0 | 2024 |
| Prince Baskettail | Epitheca princeps | 27 | 3,264 | 3 | 2025 |
| American Rubyspot | Hetaerina americana | 27 | 5,250 | 0 | 2024 |
| Arrowhead Spiketail | Zoraena obliqua | 26 | 207 | 4 | 2025 |
| Banded Pennant | Celithemis fasciata | 26 | 977 | 2 | 2025 |
| Familiar Bluet | Enallagma civile | 24 | 7,430 | 0 | 2023 |
| Skimming Bluet | Enallagma geminatum | 24 | 4,461 | 0 | 2021 |
| Stygian Shadowdragon | Neurocordulia yamaskanensis | 23 | 74 | 5 | 2025 |
| Stream Cruiser | Macromia transversa | 21 | 163 | 0 | 2024 |
| Azure Bluet | Enallagma aspersum | 20 | 2,863 | 2 | 2025 |
| Orange Bluet | Enallagma signatum | 19 | 4,380 | 1 | 2025 |
| Ashy Clubtail | Phanogomphus lividus | 19 | 1,150 | 0 | 2024 |
| Citrine Forktail | Ischnura hastata | 18 | 1,238 | 0 | 2019 |
| Clamp-tipped Emerald | Somatochlora tenebrosa | 17 | 251 | 4 | 2025 |
| Black Saddlebags | Tramea lacerata | 17 | 4,110 | 2 | 2025 |
| Lancet Clubtail | Phanogomphus exilis | 16 | 2,034 | 7 | 2025 |
| Painted Skimmer | Libellula semifasciata | 16 | 1,355 | 3 | 2025 |
| Twelve-spotted Skimmer | Libellula pulchella | 16 | 4,080 | 2 | 2025 |
| Dusky Dancer | Argia translata | 16 | 1,962 | 0 | 2024 |
| Common Baskettail | Epitheca cynosura | 15 | 1,067 | 0 | 2024 |
| Springtime Darner | Basiaeschna janata | 15 | 466 | 0 | 2021 |
| Unicorn Clubtail | Arigomphus villosipes | 14 | 2,314 | 1 | 2025 |
| Rapids Clubtail | Phanogomphus quadricolor | 12 | 445 | 3 | 2025 |
| Carolina Saddlebags | Tramea carolina | 12 | 1,444 | 0 | 2024 |
| Dragonhunter | Hagenius brevistylus | 12 | 729 | 0 | 2021 |
| Wandering Glider | Pantala flavescens | 11 | 1,903 | 2 | 2025 |
| Uhler's Sundragon | Helocordulia uhleri | 11 | 68 | 1 | 2025 |
| Eastern Least Clubtail | Stylogomphus albistylus | 11 | 382 | 0 | 2022 |
| Blue-faced Meadowhawk | Sympetrum ambiguum | 10 | 1,926 | 0 | 2019 |
| Mocha Emerald | Somatochlora linearis | 10 | 263 | 0 | 2019 |
| Tiger Spiketail | Zoraena erronea | 9 | 134 | 0 | 2023 |
| Comet Darner | Anax longipes | 8 | 724 | 0 | 2019 |
| Aurora Damsel | Chromagrion conditum | 8 | 706 | 0 | 2024 |
| Blue-tipped Dancer | Argia tibialis | 6 | 5,374 | 2 | 2025 |
| Cobra Clubtail | Gomphurus vastus | 6 | 486 | 2 | 2025 |
| Pronghorn Clubtail | Phanogomphus graslinellus | 6 | 566 | 1 | 2025 |
| Slender Spreadwing | Lestes rectangularis | 6 | 4,797 | 0 | 2015 |
| Shadow Darner | Aeshna umbrosa | 6 | 1,353 | 0 | 2019 |
| Great Spreadwing | Archilestes grandis | 6 | 1,133 | 0 | 2013 |
| Allegheny River Cruiser | Macromia alleghaniensis | 6 | 16 | 0 | 2002 |
| Spotted Spreadwing | Lestes congener | 5 | 1,069 | 0 | 2022 |
| Swamp Darner | Epiaeschna heros | 5 | 849 | 0 | 2020 |
| Ruby Meadowhawk | Sympetrum rubicundulum | 4 | 991 | 0 | 2004 |
| Amber-winged Spreadwing | Lestes eurinus | 4 | 759 | 0 | 2015 |
| Great Blue Skimmer | Libellula vibrans | 4 | 513 | 0 | 2019 |
| Handsome Clubtail | Gomphurus crassus | 3 | 226 | 1 | 2025 |
| Spot-winged Glider | Pantala hymenaea | 3 | 667 | 0 | 2022 |
| Arrow Clubtail | Stylurus spiniceps | 3 | 341 | 0 | 2016 |
| Four-spotted Skimmer | Libellula quadrimaculata | 3 | 297 | 0 | 2009 |
| Green-faced Clubtail | Hylogomphus viridifrons | 3 | 99 | 0 | 2015 |
| Westfall's Slender Bluet | Enallagma traviatum westfalli | 2 | 2,589 | 0 | 2009 |
| Eastern Red Damsel | Amphiagrion saucium | 2 | 1,600 | 0 | 2021 |
| Turquoise Bluet | Enallagma divagans | 2 | 1,043 | 0 | 2023 |
| Southern Spreadwing | Lestes australis | 2 | 329 | 0 | 2008 |
| Elusive Clubtail | Stylurus notatus | 2 | 205 | 0 | 1996 |
| Red Saddlebags | Tramea onusta | 2 | 199 | 0 | 2023 |
| Twin-spotted Spiketail | Zoraena maculata | 2 | 99 | 0 | 2024 |
| Swamp Spreadwing | Lestes vigilax | 1 | 706 | 0 | 2024 |
| Russet-tipped Clubtail | Stylurus plagiatus | 1 | 461 | 0 | 1996 |
| White-faced Meadowhawk | Sympetrum obtrusum | 1 | 383 | 0 | 2015 |
| Black-tipped Darner | Aeshna tuberculifera | 1 | 181 | 0 | 2015 |
| Variegated Meadowhawk | Sympetrum corruptum | 1 | 170 | 0 | 2002 |
| 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 | 999 | 4 | 4 | Jun |
| Cyrano Darner | Nasiaeschna pentacantha | 366 | 6 | 2 | mid Jun |
| Elegant Spreadwing | Lestes inaequalis | 616 | 4 | 2 | Jun |
| Yellow-sided Skimmer | Libellula flavida | 112 | 106 | 1 | late Jul |
| Seepage Dancer | Argia bipunctulata | 1,464 | 50 | 1 | Jun-Jul |
| Lilypad Forktail | Ischnura kellicotti | 961 | 21 | 1 | Jun-Sep |
| Common Sanddragon | Progomphus obscurus | 171 | 10 | 1 | late Jun-mid Jul |
| Golden-winged Skimmer | Libellula auripennis | 46 | 4 | 1 | late Jun |
| Sphagnum Sprite | Nehalennia gracilis | 514 | 3 | 1 | late Jun-early Jul |
| Spatterdock Darner | Rhionaeschna mutata | 443 | 3 | 1 | Jun |
| Little Blue Dragonlet | Erythrodiplax minuscula | 19 | 3 | 1 | Jun |
| Sweetflag Spreadwing | Lestes forcipatus | 605 | 2 | 1 | Jul-Aug |
| Green-striped Darner | Aeshna verticalis | 395 | 2 | 1 | Sep |
| Brown Spiketail | Zoraena bilineata | 247 | 2 | 1 | late May-early Jun |
| Plains Clubtail | Gomphurus externus | 244 | 2 | 1 | mid Jun-mid Jul |
| Emerald Spreadwing | Lestes dryas | 708 | 1 | 1 | Jun |
| Northern Spreadwing | Lestes disjunctus | 24 | 1 | 1 | Jun-Aug |
| Dot-tailed Whiteface | Leucorrhinia intacta | 1,915 | 0 | 0 | early Jun |
| Rainbow Bluet | Enallagma antennatum | 540 | 0 | 0 | Jun |
| Smoky Rubyspot | Hetaerina titia | 421 | 0 | 0 | early Sep |
| Sedge Sprite | Nehalennia irene | 414 | 0 | 0 | Jun |
| 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. 51 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 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 8 January 2026