Geauga County
Known species: 112
Total Observations: 7,004
Population: 93,972
Area in Square Miles: 400
People per Square Mile: 230
Observations per Square Mile: 14.0
Percent of State Species: 65%
Percent of State Observations: 2.3%
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 | Geauga Total | Ohio Total | Geauga 2025 | Last Sighted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern Pondhawk | Erythemis simplicicollis | 423 | 19,534 | 42 | 2025 |
| Eastern Forktail | Ischnura verticalis | 403 | 18,549 | 30 | 2025 |
| Blue Dasher | Pachydiplax longipennis | 379 | 18,692 | 51 | 2025 |
| Fragile Forktail | Ischnura posita | 374 | 15,432 | 36 | 2025 |
| Ebony Jewelwing | Calopteryx maculata | 304 | 10,084 | 16 | 2025 |
| Skimming Bluet | Enallagma geminatum | 288 | 4,461 | 22 | 2025 |
| Autumn Meadowhawk | Sympetrum vicinum | 278 | 10,593 | 32 | 2025 |
| Eastern Amberwing | Perithemis tenera | 254 | 12,693 | 22 | 2025 |
| Slaty Skimmer | Libellula incesta | 236 | 5,911 | 21 | 2025 |
| Violet Dancer | Argia fumipennis violacea | 222 | 8,693 | 18 | 2025 |
| Common Whitetail | Plathemis lydia | 222 | 14,243 | 15 | 2025 |
| Dot-tailed Whiteface | Leucorrhinia intacta | 196 | 1,915 | 19 | 2025 |
| Widow Skimmer | Libellula luctuosa | 193 | 14,355 | 19 | 2025 |
| Lilypad Forktail | Ischnura kellicotti | 160 | 961 | 8 | 2025 |
| Common Green Darner | Anax junius | 149 | 6,289 | 23 | 2025 |
| Lancet Clubtail | Phanogomphus exilis | 142 | 2,034 | 21 | 2025 |
| Elegant Spreadwing | Lestes inaequalis | 121 | 616 | 7 | 2025 |
| Halloween Pennant | Celithemis eponina | 113 | 5,028 | 8 | 2025 |
| Slender Spreadwing | Lestes rectangularis | 109 | 4,797 | 10 | 2025 |
| Stream Bluet | Enallagma exsulans | 102 | 5,543 | 3 | 2025 |
| Orange Bluet | Enallagma signatum | 99 | 4,380 | 9 | 2025 |
| Westfall's Slender Bluet | Enallagma traviatum westfalli | 90 | 2,589 | 2 | 2025 |
| Harlequin Darner | Gomphaeschna furcillata | 86 | 135 | 1 | 2025 |
| Blue-tipped Dancer | Argia tibialis | 77 | 5,374 | 4 | 2025 |
| Twelve-spotted Skimmer | Libellula pulchella | 76 | 4,080 | 1 | 2025 |
| Unicorn Clubtail | Arigomphus villosipes | 74 | 2,314 | 6 | 2025 |
| Azure Bluet | Enallagma aspersum | 74 | 2,863 | 5 | 2025 |
| Familiar Bluet | Enallagma civile | 69 | 7,430 | 3 | 2025 |
| River Jewelwing | Calopteryx aequabilis | 68 | 81 | 0 | 2024 |
| Spotted Spreadwing | Lestes congener | 66 | 1,069 | 2 | 2025 |
| Aurora Damsel | Chromagrion conditum | 63 | 706 | 6 | 2025 |
| Black Saddlebags | Tramea lacerata | 61 | 4,110 | 7 | 2025 |
| Common Baskettail | Epitheca cynosura | 61 | 1,067 | 6 | 2025 |
| Swamp Spreadwing | Lestes vigilax | 60 | 706 | 2 | 2025 |
| Ashy Clubtail | Phanogomphus lividus | 58 | 1,150 | 2 | 2025 |
| Amber-winged Spreadwing | Lestes eurinus | 58 | 759 | 0 | 2024 |
| Ruby Meadowhawk | Sympetrum rubicundulum | 51 | 991 | 0 | 2023 |
| Prince Baskettail | Epitheca princeps | 49 | 3,264 | 5 | 2025 |
| Vesper Bluet | Enallagma vesperum | 49 | 999 | 1 | 2025 |
| White-faced Meadowhawk | Sympetrum obtrusum | 46 | 383 | 4 | 2025 |
| Eastern Red Damsel | Amphiagrion saucium | 44 | 1,600 | 3 | 2025 |
| Lilypad Clubtail | Arigomphus furcifer | 43 | 153 | 5 | 2025 |
| Fawn Darner | Boyeria vinosa | 40 | 615 | 0 | 2024 |
| Spatterdock Darner | Rhionaeschna mutata | 39 | 443 | 1 | 2025 |
| Turquoise Bluet | Enallagma divagans | 39 | 1,043 | 0 | 2024 |
| Sweetflag Spreadwing | Lestes forcipatus | 38 | 605 | 3 | 2025 |
| Cyrano Darner | Nasiaeschna pentacantha | 34 | 366 | 2 | 2025 |
| Springtime Darner | Basiaeschna janata | 33 | 466 | 1 | 2025 |
| Shadow Darner | Aeshna umbrosa | 31 | 1,353 | 7 | 2025 |
| Painted Skimmer | Libellula semifasciata | 29 | 1,355 | 0 | 2024 |
| Calico Pennant | Celithemis elisa | 25 | 3,706 | 3 | 2025 |
| Band-winged Meadowhawk | Sympetrum semicinctum | 25 | 1,106 | 1 | 2025 |
| Eastern Least Clubtail | Stylogomphus albistylus | 25 | 382 | 0 | 2024 |
| Black-tipped Darner | Aeshna tuberculifera | 24 | 181 | 4 | 2025 |
| Sedge Sprite | Nehalennia irene | 22 | 414 | 0 | 2024 |
| Lance-tipped Darner | Aeshna constricta | 22 | 363 | 0 | 2009 |
| Twin-spotted Spiketail | Zoraena maculata | 22 | 99 | 0 | 2024 |
| Double-striped Bluet | Enallagma basidens | 20 | 6,256 | 4 | 2025 |
| Swamp Darner | Epiaeschna heros | 20 | 849 | 3 | 2025 |
| Delta-spotted Spiketail | Zoraena diastatops | 20 | 150 | 0 | 2024 |
| Dragonhunter | Hagenius brevistylus | 19 | 729 | 2 | 2025 |
| Ocellated Darner | Boyeria grafiana | 19 | 70 | 2 | 2025 |
| Powdered Dancer | Argia moesta | 19 | 6,026 | 1 | 2025 |
| Carolina Saddlebags | Tramea carolina | 19 | 1,444 | 0 | 2024 |
| Rainbow Bluet | Enallagma antennatum | 18 | 540 | 2 | 2025 |
| Sphagnum Sprite | Nehalennia gracilis | 18 | 514 | 1 | 2025 |
| Southern Pygmy Clubtail | Lanthus vernalis | 17 | 133 | 3 | 2025 |
| Emerald Spreadwing | Lestes dryas | 17 | 708 | 1 | 2025 |
| Green-striped Darner | Aeshna verticalis | 16 | 395 | 1 | 2025 |
| Great Spreadwing | Archilestes grandis | 15 | 1,133 | 4 | 2025 |
| Racket-tailed Emerald | Dorocordulia libera | 15 | 66 | 0 | 2020 |
| American Rubyspot | Hetaerina americana | 13 | 5,250 | 0 | 2021 |
| Hagen's Bluet | Enallagma hageni | 13 | 85 | 0 | 2020 |
| Laura's Clubtail | Stylurus laurae | 13 | 52 | 0 | 2024 |
| Riffle Snaketail | Ophiogomphus carolus | 11 | 64 | 0 | 1995 |
| Gray Petaltail | Tachopteryx thoreyi | 9 | 494 | 1 | 2025 |
| Clamp-tipped Emerald | Somatochlora tenebrosa | 9 | 251 | 1 | 2025 |
| Comet Darner | Anax longipes | 9 | 724 | 0 | 2024 |
| Great Blue Skimmer | Libellula vibrans | 9 | 513 | 0 | 2024 |
| Wandering Glider | Pantala flavescens | 8 | 1,903 | 1 | 2025 |
| Spot-winged Glider | Pantala hymenaea | 8 | 667 | 0 | 2022 |
| Beaverpond Baskettail | Epitheca canis | 8 | 89 | 0 | 2015 |
| Southern Spreadwing | Lestes australis | 7 | 329 | 1 | 2025 |
| Four-spotted Skimmer | Libellula quadrimaculata | 7 | 297 | 0 | 2023 |
| Marsh Bluet | Enallagma ebrium | 7 | 66 | 0 | 2006 |
| Northern Bluet | Enallagma annexum | 6 | 82 | 1 | 2025 |
| Citrine Forktail | Ischnura hastata | 6 | 1,238 | 0 | 2021 |
| Tule Bluet | Enallagma carunculatum | 6 | 685 | 0 | 2022 |
| Arrowhead Spiketail | Zoraena obliqua | 6 | 207 | 0 | 2021 |
| Blue-fronted Dancer | Argia apicalis | 5 | 7,716 | 0 | 2015 |
| Royal River Cruiser | Macromia taeniolata | 4 | 679 | 0 | 2023 |
| Dusky Clubtail | Phanogomphus spicatus | 4 | 298 | 0 | 2021 |
| Mocha Emerald | Somatochlora linearis | 4 | 263 | 0 | 2022 |
| Lyre-tipped Spreadwing | Lestes unguiculatus | 4 | 247 | 0 | 2010 |
| Frosted Whiteface | Leucorrhinia frigida | 4 | 29 | 0 | 1936 |
| Northern Pygmy Clubtail | Lanthus parvulus | 4 | 7 | 0 | 2004 |
| Spangled Skimmer | Libellula cyanea | 3 | 1,304 | 0 | 2022 |
| Tiger Spiketail | Zoraena erronea | 3 | 134 | 0 | 2007 |
| Macromia Hybrid | Macromia pacifica x taeniolata | 3 | 110 | 0 | 2022 |
| Boreal Bluet | Enallagma boreale | 3 | 49 | 0 | 1983 |
| Band-winged Dragonlet | Erythrodiplax umbrata | 3 | 16 | 0 | 2007 |
| Rapids Clubtail | Phanogomphus quadricolor | 2 | 445 | 0 | 2023 |
| Red Saddlebags | Tramea onusta | 2 | 199 | 0 | 1965 |
| Slender Baskettail | Epitheca costalis | 2 | 28 | 0 | 2020 |
| American Emerald | Cordulia shurtleffii | 2 | 14 | 0 | 1973 |
| Black-shouldered Spinyleg | Dromogomphus spinosus | 1 | 763 | 0 | 1932 |
| Rusty Snaketail | Ophiogomphus rupinsulensis | 1 | 428 | 0 | 1942 |
| Arrow Clubtail | Stylurus spiniceps | 1 | 341 | 0 | 2009 |
| Stream Cruiser | Macromia transversa | 1 | 163 | 0 | 2022 |
| Northern Spreadwing | Lestes disjunctus | 1 | 24 | 0 | 1975 |
| Rambur's Forktail | Ischnura ramburii | 1 | 15 | 0 | 1997 |
| Taiga Bluet | Coenagrion resolutum | 1 | 4 | 0 | 1993 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue-ringed Dancer | Argia sedula | 3,416 | 325 | 5 | Jul |
| Dusky Dancer | Argia translata | 1,962 | 128 | 5 | Jul |
| Swift River Cruiser | Macromia illinoiensis | 837 | 42 | 5 | Jul-Aug |
| Variegated Meadowhawk | Sympetrum corruptum | 170 | 34 | 4 | Apr-Sep |
| Blue-faced Meadowhawk | Sympetrum ambiguum | 1,926 | 33 | 4 | late Aug-mid Sep |
| Golden-winged Skimmer | Libellula auripennis | 46 | 17 | 4 | late Jun |
| Splendid Clubtail | Gomphurus lineatifrons | 141 | 78 | 3 | Jun |
| Midland Clubtail | Gomphurus fraternus | 1,012 | 32 | 3 | late May-mid Jun |
| Brush-tipped Emerald | Somatochlora walshii | 23 | 14 | 3 | mid Jun-mid Jul |
| Green-faced Clubtail | Hylogomphus viridifrons | 99 | 72 | 2 | mid Jun |
| Chalk-fronted Corporal | Ladona julia | 59 | 4 | 2 | late May |
| Striped Saddlebags | Tramea darwini | 60 | 2 | 2 | early Oct |
| Elfin Skimmer | Nannothemis bella | 676 | 24 | 1 | Jun-Jul |
| Plains Clubtail | Gomphurus externus | 244 | 17 | 1 | mid Jun-mid Jul |
| Scarlet Skimmer | Crocothemis servilia | 2 | 2 | 1 | Jul |
| Pronghorn Clubtail | Phanogomphus graslinellus | 566 | 1 | 1 | late May-early Jun |
| Cobra Clubtail | Gomphurus vastus | 486 | 1 | 1 | Jun |
| Russet-tipped Clubtail | Stylurus plagiatus | 461 | 1 | 1 | Sep |
| Uhler's Sundragon | Helocordulia uhleri | 68 | 1 | 1 | May |
| Banded Pennant | Celithemis fasciata | 977 | 0 | 0 | Jul |
| Flag-tailed Spinyleg | Dromogomphus spoliatus | 939 | 0 | 0 | late Jul |
| Canada Darner | Aeshna canadensis | 41 | 0 | 0 | Sep |
| Cherry-faced Meadowhawk | Sympetrum internum | 14 | 0 | 0 | Sep |
| Taper-tailed Darner | Gomphaeschna antilope | 3 | 0 | 0 | Jun |
Geauga County lies within the Glaciated Allegheny Plateau. The unusually complex drainage system in the county is the result of Illinoian and Wisconsinan glaciation (see p. 12 in Ohio Coastal Atlas: Chapter 2 for a detailed watershed map). The Cuyahoga River, Chagrin River, and Grand River all originate in Geauga County.
Places to Visit
Cuyahoga River Water Trail Map 1 shows river access points, parks, and facilities.
See “Clubtails of the Grand River” in The Ohio Dragon Flyer 31 1: 2022 January for a map and Grand River access suggestions.
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 12 January 2026