Ashland County
Known species county: 97
Total Observations county: 1,795
Population: 53,043
Area in Square Miles: 427
People per Square Mile: 124
Observations per Square Mile: 4.2
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 | Ashland Total | Ohio Total | Ashland 2023 | Last Sighted |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Eastern Pondhawk | Erythemis simplicicollis | 114 | 13,870 | 12 | 2023 |
Widow Skimmer | Libellula luctuosa | 104 | 10,352 | 12 | 2023 |
Blue-fronted Dancer | Argia apicalis | 67 | 5,692 | 5 | 2023 |
Blue Dasher | Pachydiplax longipennis | 66 | 13,169 | 4 | 2023 |
Slaty Skimmer | Libellula incesta | 64 | 4,032 | 9 | 2023 |
Eastern Amberwing | Perithemis tenera | 64 | 8,819 | 6 | 2023 |
Eastern Forktail | Ischnura verticalis | 59 | 13,326 | 10 | 2023 |
Ebony Jewelwing | Calopteryx maculata | 57 | 7,169 | 6 | 2023 |
Blue-tipped Dancer | Argia tibialis | 57 | 3,785 | 0 | 2022 |
Slender Spreadwing | Lestes rectangularis | 54 | 3,492 | 0 | 2022 |
Emerald Spreadwing | Lestes dryas | 53 | 479 | 1 | 2023 |
Common Whitetail | Plathemis lydia | 45 | 9,898 | 8 | 2023 |
Fragile Forktail | Ischnura posita | 42 | 10,727 | 6 | 2023 |
American Rubyspot | Hetaerina americana | 41 | 3,761 | 1 | 2023 |
Autumn Meadowhawk | Sympetrum vicinum | 39 | 6,971 | 8 | 2023 |
Stream Bluet | Enallagma exsulans | 38 | 4,097 | 0 | 2022 |
Powdered Dancer | Argia moesta | 37 | 4,247 | 2 | 2023 |
Violet Dancer | Argia fumipennis violacea | 31 | 6,247 | 4 | 2023 |
Westfall's Slender Bluet | Enallagma traviatum westfalli | 27 | 1,991 | 8 | 2023 |
Common Green Darner | Anax junius | 27 | 4,146 | 5 | 2023 |
Double-striped Bluet | Enallagma basidens | 27 | 4,313 | 0 | 2022 |
Ruby Meadowhawk | Sympetrum rubicundulum | 27 | 942 | 0 | 1968 |
Familiar Bluet | Enallagma civile | 25 | 5,111 | 0 | 2021 |
Lance-tipped Darner | Aeshna constricta | 25 | 358 | 0 | 1980 |
Common Baskettail | Epitheca cynosura | 23 | 748 | 0 | 1969 |
Unicorn Clubtail | Arigomphus villosipes | 22 | 1,687 | 3 | 2023 |
Twelve-spotted Skimmer | Libellula pulchella | 22 | 3,377 | 2 | 2023 |
Halloween Pennant | Celithemis eponina | 22 | 3,628 | 1 | 2023 |
Ashy Clubtail | Phanogomphus lividus | 22 | 874 | 0 | 2022 |
Four-spotted Skimmer | Libellula quadrimaculata | 20 | 285 | 19 | 2023 |
Orange Bluet | Enallagma signatum | 18 | 3,184 | 1 | 2023 |
Black Saddlebags | Tramea lacerata | 18 | 2,839 | 1 | 2023 |
Sweetflag Spreadwing | Lestes forcipatus | 18 | 443 | 0 | 2022 |
Southern Spreadwing | Lestes australis | 17 | 255 | 0 | 1970 |
Skimming Bluet | Enallagma geminatum | 16 | 3,109 | 4 | 2023 |
Shadow Darner | Aeshna umbrosa | 16 | 1,031 | 0 | 1968 |
Azure Bluet | Enallagma aspersum | 15 | 2,115 | 6 | 2023 |
Fawn Darner | Boyeria vinosa | 15 | 440 | 0 | 1987 |
Prince Baskettail | Epitheca princeps | 14 | 2,390 | 0 | 2022 |
Dusky Dancer | Argia translata | 14 | 1,376 | 0 | 2019 |
Spotted Spreadwing | Lestes congener | 14 | 731 | 0 | 1968 |
Dot-tailed Whiteface | Leucorrhinia intacta | 12 | 1,357 | 0 | 2022 |
Swift River Cruiser | Macromia illinoiensis | 12 | 688 | 0 | 2019 |
Rainbow Bluet | Enallagma antennatum | 11 | 458 | 0 | 1970 |
Eastern Least Clubtail | Stylogomphus albistylus | 11 | 262 | 0 | 2021 |
Green-faced Clubtail | Hylogomphus viridifrons | 11 | 59 | 0 | 1982 |
Calico Pennant | Celithemis elisa | 9 | 2,752 | 0 | 2022 |
Blue-ringed Dancer | Argia sedula | 9 | 2,364 | 0 | 1966 |
Midland Clubtail | Gomphurus fraternus | 9 | 802 | 0 | 1958 |
Gray Petaltail | Tachopteryx thoreyi | 9 | 390 | 0 | 2022 |
Rapids Clubtail | Phanogomphus quadricolor | 9 | 287 | 0 | 1966 |
Rusty Snaketail | Ophiogomphus rupinsulensis | 9 | 245 | 0 | 2007 |
Splendid Clubtail | Gomphurus lineatifrons | 9 | 95 | 0 | 1964 |
Great Blue Skimmer | Libellula vibrans | 8 | 467 | 0 | 1966 |
Lyre-tipped Spreadwing | Lestes unguiculatus | 8 | 180 | 0 | 1969 |
Black-shouldered Spinyleg | Dromogomphus spinosus | 7 | 542 | 0 | 1982 |
Aurora Damsel | Chromagrion conditum | 7 | 471 | 0 | 2011 |
Springtime Darner | Basiaeschna janata | 7 | 298 | 0 | 2005 |
Citrine Forktail | Ischnura hastata | 6 | 899 | 0 | 2019 |
Band-winged Meadowhawk | Sympetrum semicinctum | 6 | 860 | 0 | 2019 |
Sedge Sprite | Nehalennia irene | 6 | 359 | 0 | 1963 |
Dusky Clubtail | Phanogomphus spicatus | 6 | 191 | 0 | 2022 |
Swamp Darner | Epiaeschna heros | 5 | 620 | 1 | 2023 |
Swamp Spreadwing | Lestes vigilax | 5 | 544 | 0 | 2022 |
Elegant Spreadwing | Lestes inaequalis | 5 | 479 | 0 | 1962 |
Arrow Clubtail | Stylurus spiniceps | 5 | 305 | 0 | 2007 |
Mocha Emerald | Somatochlora linearis | 5 | 192 | 0 | 1950 |
Hagen's Bluet | Enallagma hageni | 5 | 84 | 0 | 1966 |
Lancet Clubtail | Phanogomphus exilis | 4 | 1,518 | 0 | 2022 |
Vesper Bluet | Enallagma vesperum | 4 | 740 | 0 | 1963 |
Dragonhunter | Hagenius brevistylus | 4 | 439 | 0 | 2022 |
Cobra Clubtail | Gomphurus vastus | 4 | 377 | 0 | 1965 |
Spatterdock Darner | Rhionaeschna mutata | 4 | 335 | 0 | 1958 |
White-faced Meadowhawk | Sympetrum obtrusum | 4 | 272 | 0 | 1970 |
Appalachian Jewelwing | Calopteryx angustipennis | 4 | 4 | 0 | 1900 |
Painted Skimmer | Libellula semifasciata | 3 | 1,056 | 0 | 2022 |
Banded Pennant | Celithemis fasciata | 3 | 684 | 0 | 1950 |
Tiger Spiketail | Cordulegaster erronea | 3 | 106 | 0 | 1999 |
Wandering Glider | Pantala flavescens | 2 | 1,241 | 0 | 1961 |
Eastern Red Damsel | Amphiagrion saucium | 2 | 1,230 | 0 | 1953 |
Carolina Saddlebags | Tramea carolina | 2 | 1,048 | 0 | 2022 |
Great Spreadwing | Archilestes grandis | 2 | 824 | 0 | 1962 |
Turquoise Bluet | Enallagma divagans | 2 | 768 | 0 | 1965 |
Spot-winged Glider | Pantala hymenaea | 2 | 478 | 0 | 2019 |
Pronghorn Clubtail | Phanogomphus graslinellus | 2 | 451 | 0 | 1948 |
Green-striped Darner | Aeshna verticalis | 2 | 262 | 0 | 1950 |
Clamp-tipped Emerald | Somatochlora tenebrosa | 2 | 208 | 0 | 1973 |
Delta-spotted Spiketail | Cordulegaster diastatops | 2 | 131 | 0 | 1960 |
Twin-spotted Spiketail | Cordulegaster maculata | 2 | 90 | 0 | 1970 |
Marsh Bluet | Enallagma ebrium | 2 | 66 | 0 | 1948 |
Spine-crowned Clubtail | Hylogomphus abbreviatus | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1937 |
Amber-winged Spreadwing | Lestes eurinus | 1 | 610 | 0 | 1982 |
Tule Bluet | Enallagma carunculatum | 1 | 498 | 0 | 2010 |
Arrowhead Spiketail | Cordulegaster obliqua | 1 | 172 | 0 | 1948 |
Red Saddlebags | Tramea onusta | 1 | 145 | 0 | 1956 |
Black-tipped Darner | Aeshna tuberculifera | 1 | 141 | 0 | 2018 |
Northern Spreadwing | Lestes disjunctus | 1 | 24 | 0 | 1970 |
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 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Royal River Cruiser | Macromia taeniolata | 536 | 12 | 5 | late Jul-Aug |
Comet Darner | Anax longipes | 515 | 21 | 4 | mid Jun-mid Jul |
Lilypad Forktail | Ischnura kellicotti | 733 | 8 | 3 | Jun-Sep |
Flag-tailed Spinyleg | Dromogomphus spoliatus | 743 | 2 | 2 | late Jul |
Sphagnum Sprite | Nehalennia gracilis | 370 | 62 | 1 | late Jun-early Jul |
Smoky Rubyspot | Hetaerina titia | 346 | 54 | 1 | early Sep |
Stream Cruiser | Didymops transversa | 121 | 19 | 1 | May |
Blue-faced Meadowhawk | Sympetrum ambiguum | 1,204 | 6 | 1 | late Aug-mid Sep |
Ocellated Darner | Boyeria grafiana | 50 | 3 | 1 | Sep |
Cyrano Darner | Nasiaeschna pentacantha | 277 | 2 | 1 | mid Jun |
Spangled Skimmer | Libellula cyanea | 1,037 | 1 | 1 | Jun |
Southern Pygmy Clubtail | Lanthus vernalis | 113 | 1 | 1 | late May-early Jun |
Striped Saddlebags | Tramea darwini | 33 | 1 | 1 | early Oct |
Band-winged Dragonlet | Erythrodiplax umbrata | 16 | 1 | 1 | Jun-Aug |
Stygian Shadowdragon | Neurocordulia yamaskanensis | 68 | 0 | 0 | late Jun |
Riffle Snaketail | Ophiogomphus carolus | 35 | 0 | 0 | mid Jun |
Mottled Darner | Aeshna clepsydra | 31 | 0 | 0 | Sep |
Skillet Clubtail | Gomphurus ventricosus | 26 | 0 | 0 | Jun |
Saffron-winged Meadowhawk | Sympetrum costiferum | 20 | 0 | 0 | Oct |
Smoky Shadowdragon | Neurocordulia molesta | 18 | 0 | 0 | Jun |
Most of Ashland County is within the Glaciated Allegheny Plateau and the Ohio River Watershed, drained through the Black Fork Mohican River. A small section in the northern part of the county is in the Till Plains region, draining into Lake Erie (see p. 11 in Ohio Coastal Atlas: Chapter 2 for a detailed watershed map).
Places to Visit
Hurdle Waterfowl Park is a 66-acre wooded county park that contains a 4.5-acre fishing pond, a 12-acre shallow pond complex, and a 2.5-acre duck pond. 32 odonate species had been observed in the park as of the end of 2023.
Most of the Funk Bottoms Wildlife Area is within Wayne County, but several hundred acres are publicly accessible on both sides of the Jerome Fork. This part of the Wildlife Area has not yet been well explored by the oda community (iNaturalist oda sightings).
Cool Springs Wildlife Conservation Park is located immediately to the south of the Funk Bottoms property, and also adjacent to the Jerome Fork of the Mohican River. This 192 acres property features hilly terrain with areas of grassland, forest, and marsh, there are also a number of natural springs on the property as well as a five-foot waterfall. 3 small spring fed ponds are easily accessible on a path through the wooded area just east of the parking lot. A hike around the large field to the west of the parking lot leads to a path that crosses between 2 marshy ponds and then leads to the bank of the Jerome Fork.
Mohican State Park is one of Ohio's most beautiful and interesting state parks. Comprised of thousand of wooded acres, water features include Clear Fork Gorge, Lyon's Falls, and the Mohican State Scenic River.
Mohican River Water Trail Guide from ODNR
Mohican State Scenic River Designation Study. This is a 55 page ODNR analysis of the Clear Fork/Mohican River written in 2006 recommending its inclusion into Ohio’s Scenic Rivers System. It provides an overview of the human and natural histories of the Mohican River and its tributary creeks, and includes detailed maps.
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.
Clear Fork Gorge in Mohican State Park
Page updated 20 February 2024