Brown County
Known species county: 56
Total Observations county: 983
Population: 44,264
Area in Square Miles: 493
People per Square Mile: 90
Observations per Square Mile: 2.0
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 | Brown Total | Ohio Total | Brown 2023 | Last Sighted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Dasher | Pachydiplax longipennis | 119 | 13,169 | 65 | 2023 |
| Eastern Pondhawk | Erythemis simplicicollis | 102 | 13,870 | 60 | 2023 |
| Slaty Skimmer | Libellula incesta | 76 | 4,032 | 34 | 2023 |
| Fragile Forktail | Ischnura posita | 68 | 10,727 | 24 | 2023 |
| Widow Skimmer | Libellula luctuosa | 67 | 10,352 | 30 | 2023 |
| Common Whitetail | Plathemis lydia | 59 | 9,898 | 23 | 2023 |
| Eastern Amberwing | Perithemis tenera | 57 | 8,819 | 24 | 2023 |
| Eastern Forktail | Ischnura verticalis | 44 | 13,326 | 10 | 2023 |
| Spangled Skimmer | Libellula cyanea | 36 | 1,037 | 14 | 2023 |
| Skimming Bluet | Enallagma geminatum | 31 | 3,109 | 17 | 2023 |
| Orange Bluet | Enallagma signatum | 22 | 3,184 | 5 | 2023 |
| Common Green Darner | Anax junius | 22 | 4,146 | 0 | 2022 |
| Prince Baskettail | Epitheca princeps | 21 | 2,390 | 6 | 2023 |
| Halloween Pennant | Celithemis eponina | 17 | 3,628 | 3 | 2023 |
| Twelve-spotted Skimmer | Libellula pulchella | 16 | 3,377 | 1 | 2023 |
| Unicorn Clubtail | Arigomphus villosipes | 13 | 1,687 | 6 | 2023 |
| Stream Bluet | Enallagma exsulans | 13 | 4,097 | 1 | 2023 |
| Citrine Forktail | Ischnura hastata | 13 | 899 | 0 | 2022 |
| Familiar Bluet | Enallagma civile | 12 | 5,111 | 7 | 2023 |
| Black Saddlebags | Tramea lacerata | 12 | 2,839 | 4 | 2023 |
| Blue-fronted Dancer | Argia apicalis | 12 | 5,692 | 1 | 2023 |
| Azure Bluet | Enallagma aspersum | 11 | 2,115 | 0 | 2022 |
| Violet Dancer | Argia fumipennis violacea | 10 | 6,247 | 3 | 2023 |
| Slender Spreadwing | Lestes rectangularis | 10 | 3,492 | 1 | 2023 |
| Double-striped Bluet | Enallagma basidens | 9 | 4,313 | 3 | 2023 |
| Ebony Jewelwing | Calopteryx maculata | 9 | 7,169 | 0 | 2022 |
| Carolina Saddlebags | Tramea carolina | 8 | 1,048 | 1 | 2023 |
| Blue Corporal | Ladona deplanata | 7 | 446 | 0 | 2019 |
| Painted Skimmer | Libellula semifasciata | 6 | 1,056 | 1 | 2023 |
| Autumn Meadowhawk | Sympetrum vicinum | 6 | 6,971 | 0 | 2022 |
| Powdered Dancer | Argia moesta | 6 | 4,247 | 0 | 2022 |
| Blue-tipped Dancer | Argia tibialis | 6 | 3,785 | 0 | 2022 |
| Westfall's Slender Bluet | Enallagma traviatum westfalli | 5 | 1,991 | 1 | 2023 |
| Blue-ringed Dancer | Argia sedula | 5 | 2,364 | 0 | 2018 |
| Cyrano Darner | Nasiaeschna pentacantha | 4 | 277 | 1 | 2023 |
| Blue-faced Meadowhawk | Sympetrum ambiguum | 4 | 1,204 | 0 | 2021 |
| Flag-tailed Spinyleg | Dromogomphus spoliatus | 4 | 743 | 0 | 2022 |
| Southern Spreadwing | Lestes australis | 4 | 255 | 0 | 2022 |
| Turquoise Bluet | Enallagma divagans | 3 | 768 | 3 | 2023 |
| Wandering Glider | Pantala flavescens | 3 | 1,241 | 0 | 2022 |
| Amber-winged Spreadwing | Lestes eurinus | 3 | 610 | 0 | 2022 |
| Springtime Darner | Basiaeschna janata | 3 | 298 | 0 | 2019 |
| American Rubyspot | Hetaerina americana | 2 | 3,761 | 0 | 2019 |
| Dusky Dancer | Argia translata | 2 | 1,376 | 0 | 2019 |
| Stream Cruiser | Didymops transversa | 2 | 121 | 0 | 2022 |
| Common Baskettail | Epitheca cynosura | 1 | 748 | 1 | 2023 |
| Elegant Spreadwing | Lestes inaequalis | 1 | 479 | 1 | 2023 |
| Calico Pennant | Celithemis elisa | 1 | 2,752 | 0 | 1963 |
| Ruby Meadowhawk | Sympetrum rubicundulum | 1 | 942 | 0 | 1961 |
| Midland Clubtail | Gomphurus fraternus | 1 | 802 | 0 | 2010 |
| Vesper Bluet | Enallagma vesperum | 1 | 740 | 0 | 2008 |
| Royal River Cruiser | Macromia taeniolata | 1 | 536 | 0 | 2018 |
| Spot-winged Glider | Pantala hymenaea | 1 | 478 | 0 | 2018 |
| Pronghorn Clubtail | Phanogomphus graslinellus | 1 | 451 | 0 | 2008 |
| Fawn Darner | Boyeria vinosa | 1 | 440 | 0 | 1983 |
| Smoky Rubyspot | Hetaerina titia | 1 | 346 | 0 | 1960 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Comet Darner | Anax longipes | 515 | 34 | 5 | mid Jun-mid Jul |
| Swamp Darner | Epiaeschna heros | 620 | 24 | 5 | late May-early Jun |
| Dragonhunter | Hagenius brevistylus | 439 | 16 | 5 | mid Jun |
| Swift River Cruiser | Macromia illinoiensis | 688 | 39 | 4 | Jul-Aug |
| Black-shouldered Spinyleg | Dromogomphus spinosus | 542 | 29 | 4 | Jun-Jul |
| Shadow Darner | Aeshna umbrosa | 1,031 | 13 | 4 | Sep-Oct |
| Red Saddlebags | Tramea onusta | 145 | 10 | 4 | Jun-Jul |
| Banded Pennant | Celithemis fasciata | 684 | 83 | 3 | Jul |
| Great Blue Skimmer | Libellula vibrans | 467 | 35 | 3 | Jun-Jul |
| Gray Petaltail | Tachopteryx thoreyi | 390 | 23 | 3 | Jun |
| Great Spreadwing | Archilestes grandis | 824 | 13 | 3 | Sep |
| Spotted Spreadwing | Lestes congener | 731 | 13 | 3 | late Aug-late Sep |
| Cobra Clubtail | Gomphurus vastus | 377 | 13 | 3 | Jun |
| Four-spotted Skimmer | Libellula quadrimaculata | 285 | 10 | 3 | Jun |
| Sweetflag Spreadwing | Lestes forcipatus | 443 | 9 | 3 | Jul-Aug |
| Variegated Meadowhawk | Sympetrum corruptum | 117 | 9 | 3 | Apr-Sep |
| Lancet Clubtail | Phanogomphus exilis | 1,518 | 7 | 3 | early Jun |
| White-faced Meadowhawk | Sympetrum obtrusum | 272 | 3 | 3 | Sep |
| Arrowhead Spiketail | Cordulegaster obliqua | 172 | 23 | 2 | late May-early Jun |
| Stygian Shadowdragon | Neurocordulia yamaskanensis | 68 | 18 | 2 | late Jun |
| Spatterdock Darner | Rhionaeschna mutata | 335 | 12 | 2 | Jun |
| Eastern Ringtail | Erpetogomphus designatus | 150 | 12 | 2 | Aug |
| Ashy Clubtail | Phanogomphus lividus | 874 | 8 | 2 | late May-early Jun |
| Eastern Least Clubtail | Stylogomphus albistylus | 262 | 7 | 2 | Jun |
| Mocha Emerald | Somatochlora linearis | 192 | 5 | 2 | late Jun-late Aug |
| Arrow Clubtail | Stylurus spiniceps | 305 | 4 | 2 | late Aug-early Sep |
| Handsome Clubtail | Gomphurus crassus | 170 | 4 | 2 | late May-early Jun |
| Smoky Shadowdragon | Neurocordulia molesta | 18 | 4 | 2 | Jun |
| Band-winged Meadowhawk | Sympetrum semicinctum | 860 | 3 | 2 | Jul-Aug |
| Lilypad Forktail | Ischnura kellicotti | 733 | 3 | 2 | Jun-Sep |
| Rainbow Bluet | Enallagma antennatum | 458 | 2 | 2 | Jun |
| Duckweed Firetail | Telebasis byersi | 14 | 14 | 1 | Jul |
| Clamp-tipped Emerald | Somatochlora tenebrosa | 208 | 11 | 1 | Aug |
| Uhler's Sundragon | Helocordulia uhleri | 55 | 8 | 1 | May |
| Tiger Spiketail | Cordulegaster erronea | 106 | 6 | 1 | Jul |
| Aurora Damsel | Chromagrion conditum | 471 | 4 | 1 | late May-early Jun |
| Sedge Sprite | Nehalennia irene | 359 | 3 | 1 | Jun |
| Rapids Clubtail | Phanogomphus quadricolor | 287 | 3 | 1 | Jun |
| Eastern Red Damsel | Amphiagrion saucium | 1,230 | 2 | 1 | late May-early Jun |
| Swamp Spreadwing | Lestes vigilax | 544 | 1 | 1 | Jul |
| Tule Bluet | Enallagma carunculatum | 498 | 1 | 1 | Jun-Jul |
| Swift Setwing | Dythemis velox | 340 | 1 | 1 | Jul-Aug |
| Black-tipped Darner | Aeshna tuberculifera | 141 | 1 | 1 | late Aug-early Sep |
| Elusive Clubtail | Stylurus notatus | 101 | 1 | 1 | Sep |
| Twin-spotted Spiketail | Cordulegaster maculata | 90 | 1 | 1 | late May-mid Jun |
| Green-faced Clubtail | Hylogomphus viridifrons | 59 | 1 | 1 | mid Jun |
| Golden-winged Skimmer | Libellula auripennis | 44 | 1 | 1 | late Jun |
| Double-ringed Pennant | Celithemis verna | 37 | 1 | 1 | late Jun |
| Striped Saddlebags | Tramea darwini | 33 | 1 | 1 | early Oct |
| Northern Spreadwing | Lestes disjunctus | 24 | 1 | 1 | Jun-Aug |
| Allegheny River Cruiser | Macromia alleghaniensis | 16 | 1 | 1 | Jul |
| Dot-tailed Whiteface | Leucorrhinia intacta | 1,357 | 0 | 0 | early Jun |
| Lance-tipped Darner | Aeshna constricta | 358 | 0 | 0 | Sep |
| Russet-tipped Clubtail | Stylurus plagiatus | 307 | 0 | 0 | Sep |
| Lyre-tipped Spreadwing | Lestes unguiculatus | 180 | 0 | 0 | Jun-Jul |
| Northern Pygmy Clubtail | Lanthus parvulus | 7 | 0 | 0 | Jun |
Located on the southern edge of Ohio and bordering the Ohio river, almost 21% of Brown County is forested. The East Fork of the Little Miami River bisects the county’s northern panhandle. Most of the county is within the glaciated Till Plains ecoregion, but a narrow strip along the Ohio is part of the Outer Bluegrass Region.
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