Allen County

Known species county: 60
Total Observations county: 1,132
Population: 105,298
Area in Square Miles: 407
People per Square Mile: 259
Observations per Square Mile: 2.3
Percent of State Species: 34%
Percent of State Observations:
.4%

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.

Allen County Ohio

Observed Species

Common NameScientific NameAllen TotalOhio TotalAllen 2025Last Sighted
Eastern ForktailIschnura verticalis9618,54992025
Eastern PondhawkErythemis simplicicollis9319,53482025
Blue DasherPachydiplax longipennis7718,69282025
Eastern AmberwingPerithemis tenera7212,69392025
Widow SkimmerLibellula luctuosa7114,35552025
Familiar BluetEnallagma civile497,43032025
Fragile ForktailIschnura posita4715,43232025
Common WhitetailPlathemis lydia4514,24322025
Blue-fronted DancerArgia apicalis437,71672025
Orange BluetEnallagma signatum424,38062025
Common Green DarnerAnax junius376,28922025
Ebony JewelwingCalopteryx maculata3610,08402024
Halloween PennantCelithemis eponina255,02822025
Autumn MeadowhawkSympetrum vicinum2410,59332025
American RubyspotHetaerina americana245,25022025
Violet DancerArgia fumipennis violacea238,69312025
Double-striped BluetEnallagma basidens236,25612025
Prince BaskettailEpitheca princeps223,26432025
Slender SpreadwingLestes rectangularis204,79712025
Black SaddlebagsTramea lacerata204,11012025
Calico PennantCelithemis elisa203,70612025
Unicorn ClubtailArigomphus villosipes192,31412025
Powdered DancerArgia moesta196,02602021
Skimming BluetEnallagma geminatum174,46102023
Dusky DancerArgia translata161,96222025
Blue-tipped DancerArgia tibialis165,37412025
Westfall's Slender BluetEnallagma traviatum westfalli152,58912025
Stream BluetEnallagma exsulans155,54302023
Twelve-spotted SkimmerLibellula pulchella144,08012025
Flag-tailed SpinylegDromogomphus spoliatus1293902024
Blue-ringed DancerArgia sedula93,41612025
Slaty SkimmerLibellula incesta75,91102020
Carolina SaddlebagsTramea carolina51,44402024
Common BaskettailEpitheca cynosura51,06702021
Swamp DarnerEpiaeschna heros584902024
Wandering GliderPantala flavescens41,90322025
Fawn DarnerBoyeria vinosa461512025
Shadow DarnerAeshna umbrosa41,35302024
Emerald SpreadwingLestes dryas470802018
Vesper BluetEnallagma vesperum399902023
Ruby MeadowhawkSympetrum rubicundulum399101958
Swift River CruiserMacromia illinoiensis383702023
Swamp SpreadwingLestes vigilax370602019
Rainbow BluetEnallagma antennatum354002023
Azure BluetEnallagma aspersum22,86302018
Midland ClubtailGomphurus fraternus21,01202015
Comet DarnerAnax longipes172412025
Cyrano DarnerNasiaeschna pentacantha136612025
Citrine ForktailIschnura hastata11,23802018
Great SpreadwingArchilestes grandis11,13302023
Band-winged MeadowhawkSympetrum semicinctum11,10601959
Spotted SpreadwingLestes congener11,06902022
Turquoise BluetEnallagma divagans11,04302019
Black-shouldered SpinylegDromogomphus spinosus176301967
Royal River CruiserMacromia taeniolata167902024
Sweetflag SpreadwingLestes forcipatus160501960
Pronghorn ClubtailPhanogomphus graslinellus156601950
Springtime DarnerBasiaeschna janata146602024
Four-spotted SkimmerLibellula quadrimaculata129702023
Mocha EmeraldSomatochlora linearis126302019


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 NameScientific NameOhio ObsLocal Obs# of CountiesPeak Active
Blue-faced MeadowhawkSympetrum ambiguum1,926634late Aug-mid Sep
Spot-winged GliderPantala hymenaea667164Jul
Great Blue SkimmerLibellula vibrans513213Jun-Jul
Red SaddlebagsTramea onusta19953Jun-Jul
White-faced MeadowhawkSympetrum obtrusum38343Sep
Jade ClubtailArigomphus submedianus124252late Jun-late Aug
Lyre-tipped SpreadwingLestes unguiculatus247182Jun-Jul
Dot-tailed WhitefaceLeucorrhinia intacta1,915152early Jun
Lancet ClubtailPhanogomphus exilis2,03482early Jun
Spatterdock DarnerRhionaeschna mutata44352Jun
Gilded River CruiserMacromia pacifica9252late Jul
Painted SkimmerLibellula semifasciata1,35542May
Elegant SpreadwingLestes inaequalis616201Jun
River BluetEnallagma anna21191Jun
Rapids ClubtailPhanogomphus quadricolor44561Jun
Macromia HybridMacromia pacifica x taeniolata11051late Jul-mid Aug
Cobra ClubtailGomphurus vastus48641Jun
Sedge SpriteNehalennia irene41441Jun
Southern SpreadwingLestes australis32931May
Plains ClubtailGomphurus externus24421mid Jun-mid Jul
Slender BaskettailEpitheca costalis2821late May
Spangled SkimmerLibellula cyanea1,30411Jun
Ashy ClubtailPhanogomphus lividus1,15011late May-early Jun
Amber-winged SpreadwingLestes eurinus75911Jun-Jul
Variegated MeadowhawkSympetrum corruptum17011Apr-Sep
Tule BluetEnallagma carunculatum68500Jun-Jul
Russet-tipped ClubtailStylurus plagiatus46100Sep
Lance-tipped DarnerAeshna constricta36300Sep
Clamp-tipped EmeraldSomatochlora tenebrosa25100Aug
Wabash River CruiserMacromia wabashensis2500Aug
Saffron-winged MeadowhawkSympetrum costiferum2000Oct
Plains EmeraldSomatochlora ensigera1800Jul
Cherry-faced MeadowhawkSympetrum internum1400Sep

With the exception of a small area in the NW corner within the Huron-Lake Plains, the rest of Allen County is within the Till Plains ecoregion. 73% of the county is farmland. The county is almost entirely within the Lake Erie Watershed (See p. 11 in Ohio Coastal Atlas: Chapter 2 for a detailed watershed map).

Places to Visit

  • McLean Teddy Bear Park

    MTBP is part of the Johnny Appleseed Metro Park District. There are two small ponds and a larger lake. Parking is in the main lot. Restrooms are on site. A mowed walking path leads around the property. Normal pond species are found at all the water spots. 34 species recorded.

  • Lima Reservoirs

    Lima Reservoir, Ferguson Reservoir, Metzger Reservoir, and Lost Creek Reservoir are all in close proximity on the east side of Lima. They are fishing locations and water sources. They all have relatively steep banks with limited shoreline access. All have multiple parking locations. 21 species.

    Williams Reservoir and Bresler Reservoir are 4 miles west of Lima. These are upground reservoirs - acres of water with steep embankments. Water is pumped from the Auglaize River. These reservoirs also have multiple parking areas.

  • Bluffton Lakes

    Cobb Lake and Buckeye Lake are both part of the city park in Bluffton. Both host skimmer and pond damsel populations. There is parking and walk paths. Water access is somewhat limited. 22 species.

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.

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Page updated: 8 January 2026