Lucas County
Known species: 111
Total Observations: 15,549
Population: 436,393
Area in Square Miles: 341
People per Square Mile: 775
Observations per Square Mile: 33.9 (highest in state)
Percent of State Species: 64%
Percent of State Observations: 5.1%
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![]() | Lucas Total![]() | Ohio Total![]() | Lucas 2025![]() | Last Sighted![]() |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern Forktail | Ischnura verticalis | 894 | 18,549 | 119 | 2025 |
| Autumn Meadowhawk | Sympetrum vicinum | 876 | 10,593 | 113 | 2025 |
| Blue Dasher | Pachydiplax longipennis | 855 | 18,692 | 94 | 2025 |
| Eastern Pondhawk | Erythemis simplicicollis | 694 | 19,534 | 81 | 2025 |
| Widow Skimmer | Libellula luctuosa | 577 | 14,355 | 71 | 2025 |
| Common Green Darner | Anax junius | 522 | 6,289 | 63 | 2025 |
| Familiar Bluet | Enallagma civile | 521 | 7,430 | 31 | 2025 |
| Calico Pennant | Celithemis elisa | 504 | 3,706 | 46 | 2025 |
| Eastern Amberwing | Perithemis tenera | 496 | 12,693 | 32 | 2025 |
| Violet Dancer | Argia fumipennis violacea | 473 | 8,693 | 39 | 2025 |
| Fragile Forktail | Ischnura posita | 462 | 15,432 | 41 | 2025 |
| Double-striped Bluet | Enallagma basidens | 432 | 6,256 | 46 | 2025 |
| Black Saddlebags | Tramea lacerata | 424 | 4,110 | 52 | 2025 |
| Blue-faced Meadowhawk | Sympetrum ambiguum | 415 | 1,926 | 121 | 2025 |
| Common Whitetail | Plathemis lydia | 413 | 14,243 | 46 | 2025 |
| Twelve-spotted Skimmer | Libellula pulchella | 299 | 4,080 | 19 | 2025 |
| Wandering Glider | Pantala flavescens | 252 | 1,903 | 46 | 2025 |
| Slaty Skimmer | Libellula incesta | 234 | 5,911 | 26 | 2025 |
| Prince Baskettail | Epitheca princeps | 221 | 3,264 | 15 | 2025 |
| Halloween Pennant | Celithemis eponina | 220 | 5,028 | 28 | 2025 |
| Orange Bluet | Enallagma signatum | 209 | 4,380 | 27 | 2025 |
| Painted Skimmer | Libellula semifasciata | 208 | 1,355 | 23 | 2025 |
| Blue-fronted Dancer | Argia apicalis | 203 | 7,716 | 12 | 2025 |
| Pronghorn Clubtail | Phanogomphus graslinellus | 199 | 566 | 14 | 2025 |
| Slender Spreadwing | Lestes rectangularis | 195 | 4,797 | 19 | 2025 |
| Banded Pennant | Celithemis fasciata | 189 | 977 | 27 | 2025 |
| American Rubyspot | Hetaerina americana | 185 | 5,250 | 13 | 2025 |
| Stream Bluet | Enallagma exsulans | 183 | 5,543 | 17 | 2025 |
| Carolina Saddlebags | Tramea carolina | 176 | 1,444 | 16 | 2025 |
| Ebony Jewelwing | Calopteryx maculata | 170 | 10,084 | 19 | 2025 |
| Green-striped Darner | Aeshna verticalis | 166 | 395 | 30 | 2025 |
| Royal River Cruiser | Macromia taeniolata | 161 | 679 | 25 | 2025 |
| Westfall's Slender Bluet | Enallagma traviatum westfalli | 157 | 2,589 | 7 | 2025 |
| Dusky Clubtail | Phanogomphus spicatus | 155 | 298 | 24 | 2025 |
| Emerald Spreadwing | Lestes dryas | 147 | 708 | 20 | 2025 |
| Powdered Dancer | Argia moesta | 131 | 6,026 | 8 | 2025 |
| Spotted Spreadwing | Lestes congener | 122 | 1,069 | 36 | 2025 |
| Great Spreadwing | Archilestes grandis | 117 | 1,133 | 0 | 2024 |
| Blue-ringed Dancer | Argia sedula | 111 | 3,416 | 11 | 2025 |
| Blue-tipped Dancer | Argia tibialis | 111 | 5,374 | 10 | 2025 |
| White-faced Meadowhawk | Sympetrum obtrusum | 110 | 383 | 22 | 2025 |
| Flag-tailed Spinyleg | Dromogomphus spoliatus | 108 | 939 | 25 | 2025 |
| Skimming Bluet | Enallagma geminatum | 106 | 4,461 | 10 | 2025 |
| Sweetflag Spreadwing | Lestes forcipatus | 105 | 605 | 18 | 2025 |
| Ashy Clubtail | Phanogomphus lividus | 105 | 1,150 | 15 | 2025 |
| Azure Bluet | Enallagma aspersum | 104 | 2,863 | 8 | 2025 |
| Unicorn Clubtail | Arigomphus villosipes | 95 | 2,314 | 4 | 2025 |
| Lyre-tipped Spreadwing | Lestes unguiculatus | 91 | 247 | 24 | 2025 |
| Great Blue Skimmer | Libellula vibrans | 90 | 513 | 0 | 2024 |
| Spot-winged Glider | Pantala hymenaea | 85 | 667 | 18 | 2025 |
| Shadow Darner | Aeshna umbrosa | 83 | 1,353 | 2 | 2025 |
| Vesper Bluet | Enallagma vesperum | 82 | 999 | 2 | 2025 |
| Swift River Cruiser | Macromia illinoiensis | 80 | 837 | 10 | 2025 |
| Swamp Darner | Epiaeschna heros | 78 | 849 | 11 | 2025 |
| Sedge Sprite | Nehalennia irene | 73 | 414 | 0 | 2024 |
| Dusky Dancer | Argia translata | 70 | 1,962 | 5 | 2025 |
| Comet Darner | Anax longipes | 69 | 724 | 1 | 2025 |
| Macromia Hybrid | Macromia pacifica x taeniolata | 66 | 110 | 6 | 2025 |
| Ruby Meadowhawk | Sympetrum rubicundulum | 65 | 991 | 7 | 2025 |
| Citrine Forktail | Ischnura hastata | 64 | 1,238 | 5 | 2025 |
| Dot-tailed Whiteface | Leucorrhinia intacta | 52 | 1,915 | 1 | 2025 |
| Common Baskettail | Epitheca cynosura | 51 | 1,067 | 14 | 2025 |
| Turquoise Bluet | Enallagma divagans | 44 | 1,043 | 9 | 2025 |
| Cyrano Darner | Nasiaeschna pentacantha | 42 | 366 | 9 | 2025 |
| Fawn Darner | Boyeria vinosa | 39 | 615 | 9 | 2025 |
| Band-winged Meadowhawk | Sympetrum semicinctum | 39 | 1,106 | 3 | 2025 |
| Midland Clubtail | Gomphurus fraternus | 33 | 1,012 | 3 | 2025 |
| Belted Whiteface | Leucorrhinia proxima | 33 | 33 | 0 | 2021 |
| Striped Saddlebags | Tramea darwini | 32 | 60 | 2 | 2025 |
| Red Saddlebags | Tramea onusta | 30 | 199 | 6 | 2025 |
| Four-spotted Skimmer | Libellula quadrimaculata | 27 | 297 | 0 | 2024 |
| Variegated Meadowhawk | Sympetrum corruptum | 21 | 170 | 6 | 2025 |
| Amber-winged Spreadwing | Lestes eurinus | 19 | 759 | 0 | 2020 |
| Hine's Emerald | Somatochlora hineana | 18 | 24 | 0 | 1961 |
| Cobra Clubtail | Gomphurus vastus | 16 | 486 | 0 | 2021 |
| Chalk-fronted Corporal | Ladona julia | 16 | 59 | 0 | 2020 |
| Little Blue Dragonlet | Erythrodiplax minuscula | 15 | 19 | 14 | 2025 |
| Swamp Spreadwing | Lestes vigilax | 15 | 706 | 1 | 2025 |
| Lance-tipped Darner | Aeshna constricta | 15 | 363 | 0 | 2022 |
| Southern Spreadwing | Lestes australis | 15 | 329 | 0 | 2024 |
| Golden-winged Skimmer | Libellula auripennis | 15 | 46 | 0 | 2022 |
| Rainbow Bluet | Enallagma antennatum | 14 | 540 | 0 | 2019 |
| Russet-tipped Clubtail | Stylurus plagiatus | 12 | 461 | 0 | 2023 |
| Mocha Emerald | Somatochlora linearis | 12 | 263 | 0 | 2022 |
| Gilded River Cruiser | Macromia pacifica | 12 | 92 | 0 | 2024 |
| Plains Clubtail | Gomphurus externus | 11 | 244 | 0 | 2011 |
| Tule Bluet | Enallagma carunculatum | 8 | 685 | 0 | 2024 |
| Clamp-tipped Emerald | Somatochlora tenebrosa | 8 | 251 | 0 | 2016 |
| Slender Baskettail | Epitheca costalis | 6 | 28 | 3 | 2025 |
| Lancet Clubtail | Phanogomphus exilis | 6 | 2,034 | 2 | 2025 |
| Dragonhunter | Hagenius brevistylus | 6 | 729 | 0 | 2018 |
| Black-tipped Darner | Aeshna tuberculifera | 6 | 181 | 0 | 2017 |
| Frosted Whiteface | Leucorrhinia frigida | 6 | 29 | 0 | 2021 |
| Wabash River Cruiser | Macromia wabashensis | 6 | 25 | 0 | 2012 |
| Eastern Red Damsel | Amphiagrion saucium | 5 | 1,600 | 0 | 2022 |
| Elegant Spreadwing | Lestes inaequalis | 5 | 616 | 0 | 2022 |
| Mottled Darner | Aeshna clepsydra | 5 | 31 | 0 | 2015 |
| Spatterdock Darner | Rhionaeschna mutata | 4 | 443 | 0 | 2021 |
| Spangled Skimmer | Libellula cyanea | 3 | 1,304 | 0 | 2022 |
| Aurora Damsel | Chromagrion conditum | 3 | 706 | 0 | 2018 |
| Handsome Clubtail | Gomphurus crassus | 3 | 226 | 0 | 2020 |
| Arrowhead Spiketail | Zoraena obliqua | 3 | 207 | 0 | 2024 |
| Elusive Clubtail | Stylurus notatus | 2 | 205 | 0 | 2016 |
| Marsh Bluet | Enallagma ebrium | 2 | 66 | 0 | 2012 |
| Sphagnum Sprite | Nehalennia gracilis | 1 | 514 | 0 | 2021 |
| Northern Bluet | Enallagma annexum | 1 | 82 | 0 | 1952 |
| Boreal Bluet | Enallagma boreale | 1 | 49 | 0 | 1952 |
| Canada Darner | Aeshna canadensis | 1 | 41 | 0 | 1997 |
| Saffron-winged Meadowhawk | Sympetrum costiferum | 1 | 20 | 0 | 1953 |
| Band-winged Dragonlet | Erythrodiplax umbrata | 1 | 16 | 0 | 2014 |
| Cherry-faced Meadowhawk | Sympetrum internum | 1 | 14 | 0 | 1992 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Skillet Clubtail | Gomphurus ventricosus | 26 | 1 | 1 | Jun |
| Black-shouldered Spinyleg | Dromogomphus spinosus | 763 | 0 | 0 | Jun-Jul |
| Springtime Darner | Basiaeschna janata | 466 | 0 | 0 | May |
| Arrow Clubtail | Stylurus spiniceps | 341 | 0 | 0 | late Aug-early Sep |
| Hagen's Bluet | Enallagma hageni | 85 | 0 | 0 | Jun |
| Stygian Shadowdragon | Neurocordulia yamaskanensis | 74 | 0 | 0 | late Jun |
| Northern Spreadwing | Lestes disjunctus | 24 | 0 | 0 | Jun-Aug |
| Allegheny River Cruiser | Macromia alleghaniensis | 16 | 0 | 0 | Jul |
| Umber Shadowdragon | Neurocordulia obsoleta | 6 | 0 | 0 | Jun |
Lucas County lies within the Maumee Lake Plains area of the Huron-Erie Lake Plains ecoregion, which was the location of the now mostly-drained and channelized Black Swamp. It is bordered to the east by Lake Erie, and to the southeast by the Maumee River. The county is entirely within the Lake Erie Watershed (See p. 11 in Ohio Coastal Atlas: Chapter 2 for a detailed watershed map).
Places to Visit
Wiregrass Lake Metropark in northwest Ohio features a spring fed lake and boasts some of the best examples of the Oak Openings Region’s globally rare wet prairie community. After much invasive plant removal and natural area restoration, many of the region’s state-listed rare species continue to thrive here, monitored each season by volunteer researchers and staff. To protect the diversity of the dragonfly population, Metroparks Toledo asks that any bank-fishing be done only from the dock or stone ledges accessible off of the Blue Dasher Trail, and that the protected beach area at the south end of the lake remain off limits to any fishing. 61 species of Odonata have been observed here since 2008. See Ohio Dragon Flier issues 32-2 and 33-1 "Wiregrass Lake Odonata Monitoring".
Maumee River Water Trail. Map shows parkland, water access points, and facilities.
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
