Fairfield County
Known species county: 87
Total Observations county: 2,015
Population: 148,867
Area in Square Miles: 504
People per Square Mile: 293
Observations per Square Mile: 4.0
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 | Fairfield Total | Ohio Total | Fairfield 2023 | Last Sighted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern Pondhawk | Erythemis simplicicollis | 169 | 13,870 | 20 | 2023 |
| Blue Dasher | Pachydiplax longipennis | 139 | 13,169 | 20 | 2023 |
| Slaty Skimmer | Libellula incesta | 133 | 4,032 | 20 | 2023 |
| Eastern Forktail | Ischnura verticalis | 102 | 13,326 | 5 | 2023 |
| Eastern Amberwing | Perithemis tenera | 100 | 8,819 | 23 | 2023 |
| Fragile Forktail | Ischnura posita | 89 | 10,727 | 11 | 2023 |
| Widow Skimmer | Libellula luctuosa | 84 | 10,352 | 19 | 2023 |
| Common Whitetail | Plathemis lydia | 79 | 9,898 | 6 | 2023 |
| Lilypad Forktail | Ischnura kellicotti | 78 | 733 | 13 | 2023 |
| Ebony Jewelwing | Calopteryx maculata | 67 | 7,169 | 8 | 2023 |
| Autumn Meadowhawk | Sympetrum vicinum | 62 | 6,971 | 13 | 2023 |
| Fawn Darner | Boyeria vinosa | 53 | 440 | 0 | 2020 |
| Spangled Skimmer | Libellula cyanea | 49 | 1,037 | 3 | 2023 |
| Blue-fronted Dancer | Argia apicalis | 41 | 5,692 | 8 | 2023 |
| Violet Dancer | Argia fumipennis violacea | 36 | 6,247 | 6 | 2023 |
| Common Green Darner | Anax junius | 33 | 4,146 | 4 | 2023 |
| Skimming Bluet | Enallagma geminatum | 32 | 3,109 | 4 | 2023 |
| Twelve-spotted Skimmer | Libellula pulchella | 32 | 3,377 | 1 | 2023 |
| Double-striped Bluet | Enallagma basidens | 29 | 4,313 | 6 | 2023 |
| Familiar Bluet | Enallagma civile | 29 | 5,111 | 4 | 2023 |
| Prince Baskettail | Epitheca princeps | 27 | 2,390 | 2 | 2023 |
| Slender Spreadwing | Lestes rectangularis | 26 | 3,492 | 0 | 2022 |
| Orange Bluet | Enallagma signatum | 24 | 3,184 | 3 | 2023 |
| Unicorn Clubtail | Arigomphus villosipes | 24 | 1,687 | 2 | 2023 |
| Blue Corporal | Ladona deplanata | 24 | 446 | 0 | 2019 |
| Westfall's Slender Bluet | Enallagma traviatum westfalli | 23 | 1,991 | 16 | 2023 |
| Stream Bluet | Enallagma exsulans | 22 | 4,097 | 8 | 2023 |
| Halloween Pennant | Celithemis eponina | 22 | 3,628 | 2 | 2023 |
| Blue-tipped Dancer | Argia tibialis | 21 | 3,785 | 5 | 2023 |
| Tiger Spiketail | Cordulegaster erronea | 19 | 106 | 0 | 2022 |
| Ruby Meadowhawk | Sympetrum rubicundulum | 18 | 942 | 0 | 2019 |
| Lancet Clubtail | Phanogomphus exilis | 17 | 1,518 | 5 | 2023 |
| Common Baskettail | Epitheca cynosura | 16 | 748 | 0 | 2019 |
| Azure Bluet | Enallagma aspersum | 14 | 2,115 | 1 | 2023 |
| Southern Spreadwing | Lestes australis | 14 | 255 | 0 | 2018 |
| Banded Pennant | Celithemis fasciata | 13 | 684 | 9 | 2023 |
| Ashy Clubtail | Phanogomphus lividus | 13 | 874 | 3 | 2023 |
| Carolina Saddlebags | Tramea carolina | 12 | 1,048 | 0 | 2022 |
| Black Saddlebags | Tramea lacerata | 11 | 2,839 | 3 | 2023 |
| Elegant Spreadwing | Lestes inaequalis | 11 | 479 | 1 | 2023 |
| Blue-ringed Dancer | Argia sedula | 10 | 2,364 | 2 | 2023 |
| Calico Pennant | Celithemis elisa | 10 | 2,752 | 1 | 2023 |
| Shadow Darner | Aeshna umbrosa | 10 | 1,031 | 0 | 2021 |
| Dusky Dancer | Argia translata | 9 | 1,376 | 0 | 2020 |
| Blue-faced Meadowhawk | Sympetrum ambiguum | 9 | 1,204 | 0 | 2019 |
| Aurora Damsel | Chromagrion conditum | 9 | 471 | 0 | 2018 |
| Laura's Clubtail | Stylurus laurae | 9 | 50 | 0 | 2014 |
| Painted Skimmer | Libellula semifasciata | 8 | 1,056 | 1 | 2023 |
| Wandering Glider | Pantala flavescens | 8 | 1,241 | 0 | 2021 |
| Citrine Forktail | Ischnura hastata | 8 | 899 | 0 | 2019 |
| Black-shouldered Spinyleg | Dromogomphus spinosus | 8 | 542 | 0 | 2021 |
| Gray Petaltail | Tachopteryx thoreyi | 8 | 390 | 0 | 2022 |
| Eastern Red Damsel | Amphiagrion saucium | 7 | 1,230 | 0 | 1972 |
| Swamp Darner | Epiaeschna heros | 7 | 620 | 0 | 2021 |
| Rainbow Bluet | Enallagma antennatum | 7 | 458 | 0 | 1970 |
| Springtime Darner | Basiaeschna janata | 6 | 298 | 0 | 2016 |
| American Rubyspot | Hetaerina americana | 5 | 3,761 | 0 | 2021 |
| Swamp Spreadwing | Lestes vigilax | 5 | 544 | 0 | 2022 |
| Band-winged Meadowhawk | Sympetrum semicinctum | 4 | 860 | 1 | 2023 |
| Turquoise Bluet | Enallagma divagans | 4 | 768 | 0 | 2006 |
| Great Blue Skimmer | Libellula vibrans | 4 | 467 | 0 | 2019 |
| Twin-spotted Spiketail | Cordulegaster maculata | 4 | 90 | 0 | 2017 |
| Smoky Rubyspot | Hetaerina titia | 3 | 346 | 0 | 2018 |
| Stream Cruiser | Didymops transversa | 3 | 121 | 0 | 1973 |
| Powdered Dancer | Argia moesta | 2 | 4,247 | 0 | 2018 |
| Midland Clubtail | Gomphurus fraternus | 2 | 802 | 0 | 2014 |
| Vesper Bluet | Enallagma vesperum | 2 | 740 | 0 | 2017 |
| Swift River Cruiser | Macromia illinoiensis | 2 | 688 | 0 | 2015 |
| Amber-winged Spreadwing | Lestes eurinus | 2 | 610 | 0 | 2018 |
| Sweetflag Spreadwing | Lestes forcipatus | 2 | 443 | 0 | 1993 |
| Dragonhunter | Hagenius brevistylus | 2 | 439 | 0 | 2016 |
| Cyrano Darner | Nasiaeschna pentacantha | 2 | 277 | 0 | 1996 |
| Clamp-tipped Emerald | Somatochlora tenebrosa | 2 | 208 | 0 | 2018 |
| Mocha Emerald | Somatochlora linearis | 2 | 192 | 0 | 2019 |
| Common Sanddragon | Progomphus obscurus | 2 | 141 | 0 | 2012 |
| Lilypad Clubtail | Arigomphus furcifer | 2 | 113 | 0 | 2017 |
| Spot-winged Glider | Pantala hymenaea | 1 | 478 | 1 | 2023 |
| Dot-tailed Whiteface | Leucorrhinia intacta | 1 | 1,357 | 0 | 1982 |
| Great Spreadwing | Archilestes grandis | 1 | 824 | 0 | 2015 |
| Flag-tailed Spinyleg | Dromogomphus spoliatus | 1 | 743 | 0 | 2020 |
| Comet Darner | Anax longipes | 1 | 515 | 0 | 2022 |
| Emerald Spreadwing | Lestes dryas | 1 | 479 | 0 | 1937 |
| Arrow Clubtail | Stylurus spiniceps | 1 | 305 | 0 | 1899 |
| Lyre-tipped Spreadwing | Lestes unguiculatus | 1 | 180 | 0 | 1987 |
| River Jewelwing | Calopteryx aequabilis | 1 | 77 | 0 | 1895 |
| Allegheny River Cruiser | Macromia alleghaniensis | 1 | 16 | 0 | 1996 |
| Taper-tailed Darner | Gomphaeschna antilope | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1937 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arrowhead Spiketail | Cordulegaster obliqua | 172 | 9 | 4 | late May-early Jun |
| Royal River Cruiser | Macromia taeniolata | 536 | 26 | 3 | late Jul-Aug |
| Swift Setwing | Dythemis velox | 340 | 14 | 3 | Jul-Aug |
| Green-striped Darner | Aeshna verticalis | 262 | 10 | 3 | Sep |
| Red Saddlebags | Tramea onusta | 145 | 10 | 3 | Jun-Jul |
| Eastern Least Clubtail | Stylogomphus albistylus | 262 | 9 | 3 | Jun |
| Sedge Sprite | Nehalennia irene | 359 | 7 | 3 | Jun |
| Pronghorn Clubtail | Phanogomphus graslinellus | 451 | 3 | 3 | late May-early Jun |
| Rusty Snaketail | Ophiogomphus rupinsulensis | 245 | 121 | 2 | Jun |
| Rapids Clubtail | Phanogomphus quadricolor | 287 | 69 | 2 | Jun |
| Handsome Clubtail | Gomphurus crassus | 170 | 54 | 2 | late May-early Jun |
| Spotted Spreadwing | Lestes congener | 731 | 41 | 2 | late Aug-late Sep |
| Variegated Meadowhawk | Sympetrum corruptum | 117 | 5 | 2 | Apr-Sep |
| Black-tipped Darner | Aeshna tuberculifera | 141 | 3 | 2 | late Aug-early Sep |
| Spatterdock Darner | Rhionaeschna mutata | 335 | 2 | 2 | Jun |
| Uhler's Sundragon | Helocordulia uhleri | 55 | 15 | 1 | May |
| Splendid Clubtail | Gomphurus lineatifrons | 95 | 14 | 1 | Jun |
| Four-spotted Skimmer | Libellula quadrimaculata | 285 | 11 | 1 | Jun |
| Macromia Hybrid | Macromia pacifica x taeniolata | 90 | 5 | 1 | late Jul-mid Aug |
| Russet-tipped Clubtail | Stylurus plagiatus | 307 | 4 | 1 | Sep |
| White-faced Meadowhawk | Sympetrum obtrusum | 272 | 4 | 1 | Sep |
| Sphagnum Sprite | Nehalennia gracilis | 370 | 3 | 1 | late Jun-early Jul |
| Gilded River Cruiser | Macromia pacifica | 73 | 2 | 1 | late Jul |
| Stygian Shadowdragon | Neurocordulia yamaskanensis | 68 | 2 | 1 | late Jun |
| Eastern Ringtail | Erpetogomphus designatus | 150 | 1 | 1 | Aug |
| Golden-winged Skimmer | Libellula auripennis | 44 | 1 | 1 | late Jun |
| Northern Spreadwing | Lestes disjunctus | 24 | 1 | 1 | Jun-Aug |
| Rambur's Forktail | Ischnura ramburii | 15 | 1 | 1 | Jul |
| Tule Bluet | Enallagma carunculatum | 498 | 0 | 0 | Jun-Jul |
| Cobra Clubtail | Gomphurus vastus | 377 | 0 | 0 | Jun |
| Lance-tipped Darner | Aeshna constricta | 358 | 0 | 0 | Sep |
| Brown Spiketail | Cordulegaster bilineata | 216 | 0 | 0 | late May-early Jun |
| Dusky Clubtail | Phanogomphus spicatus | 191 | 0 | 0 | early Jun |
| Plains Clubtail | Gomphurus externus | 189 | 0 | 0 | mid Jun-mid Jul |
| Delta-spotted Spiketail | Cordulegaster diastatops | 131 | 0 | 0 | early Jun |
| Harlequin Darner | Gomphaeschna furcillata | 106 | 0 | 0 | late May-early Jun |
| Hagen's Bluet | Enallagma hageni | 84 | 0 | 0 | Jun |
| Marsh Bluet | Enallagma ebrium | 66 | 0 | 0 | mid Jun |
| Green-faced Clubtail | Hylogomphus viridifrons | 59 | 0 | 0 | mid Jun |
| Ocellated Darner | Boyeria grafiana | 50 | 0 | 0 | Sep |
| Boreal Bluet | Enallagma boreale | 44 | 0 | 0 | Jun |
| 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 |
| Northern Pygmy Clubtail | Lanthus parvulus | 7 | 0 | 0 | Jun |
| Furtive Forktail | Ischnura prognata | 5 | 0 | 0 | |
| Atlantic Bluet | Enallagma doubledayi | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Fairfield County lies in a physigraphic transition region, between the Till Plains in the northern half of the county, and the unglaciated Allegheny Plateau in the southern half. A section of Buckeye Lake is located in northeastern corner, and the Hocking River headwaters are in the county.
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