Madison County
Known species: 69
Total Observations: 2,285
Population: 43,277
Area in Square Miles: 466
People per Square Mile: 93
Observations per Square Mile: 4.9
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 | Madison Total | Ohio Total | Madison 2023 | Last Sighted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern Forktail | Ischnura verticalis | 213 | 13,326 | 13 | 2023 |
| Eastern Pondhawk | Erythemis simplicicollis | 177 | 13,870 | 10 | 2023 |
| Blue Dasher | Pachydiplax longipennis | 134 | 13,169 | 17 | 2023 |
| Widow Skimmer | Libellula luctuosa | 132 | 10,352 | 22 | 2023 |
| Eastern Amberwing | Perithemis tenera | 131 | 8,819 | 27 | 2023 |
| Fragile Forktail | Ischnura posita | 130 | 10,727 | 11 | 2023 |
| Orange Bluet | Enallagma signatum | 127 | 3,184 | 24 | 2023 |
| Ebony Jewelwing | Calopteryx maculata | 123 | 7,169 | 70 | 2023 |
| Double-striped Bluet | Enallagma basidens | 101 | 4,313 | 25 | 2023 |
| Calico Pennant | Celithemis elisa | 85 | 2,752 | 7 | 2023 |
| Blue-ringed Dancer | Argia sedula | 81 | 2,364 | 1 | 2023 |
| Stream Bluet | Enallagma exsulans | 68 | 4,097 | 13 | 2023 |
| Halloween Pennant | Celithemis eponina | 66 | 3,628 | 11 | 2023 |
| Common Whitetail | Plathemis lydia | 64 | 9,898 | 9 | 2023 |
| Blue-tipped Dancer | Argia tibialis | 62 | 3,785 | 18 | 2023 |
| Blue-fronted Dancer | Argia apicalis | 50 | 5,692 | 3 | 2023 |
| Familiar Bluet | Enallagma civile | 50 | 5,111 | 1 | 2023 |
| Powdered Dancer | Argia moesta | 41 | 4,247 | 6 | 2023 |
| Violet Dancer | Argia fumipennis violacea | 40 | 6,247 | 3 | 2023 |
| American Rubyspot | Hetaerina americana | 35 | 3,761 | 0 | 2021 |
| Autumn Meadowhawk | Sympetrum vicinum | 31 | 6,971 | 3 | 2023 |
| Prince Baskettail | Epitheca princeps | 30 | 2,390 | 2 | 2023 |
| Slender Spreadwing | Lestes rectangularis | 26 | 3,492 | 11 | 2023 |
| Common Green Darner | Anax junius | 24 | 4,146 | 0 | 2021 |
| Black Saddlebags | Tramea lacerata | 23 | 2,839 | 3 | 2023 |
| Skimming Bluet | Enallagma geminatum | 19 | 3,109 | 6 | 2023 |
| Twelve-spotted Skimmer | Libellula pulchella | 16 | 3,377 | 0 | 2022 |
| Fawn Darner | Boyeria vinosa | 15 | 440 | 1 | 2023 |
| Citrine Forktail | Ischnura hastata | 14 | 899 | 0 | 2022 |
| Westfall's Slender Bluet | Enallagma traviatum westfalli | 11 | 1,991 | 3 | 2023 |
| Unicorn Clubtail | Arigomphus villosipes | 10 | 1,687 | 2 | 2023 |
| Vesper Bluet | Enallagma vesperum | 9 | 740 | 7 | 2023 |
| Turquoise Bluet | Enallagma divagans | 9 | 768 | 0 | 2022 |
| Spotted Spreadwing | Lestes congener | 9 | 731 | 0 | 2021 |
| Flag-tailed Spinyleg | Dromogomphus spoliatus | 8 | 743 | 0 | 2019 |
| Cyrano Darner | Nasiaeschna pentacantha | 8 | 277 | 0 | 2022 |
| Swamp Spreadwing | Lestes vigilax | 7 | 544 | 2 | 2023 |
| Royal River Cruiser | Macromia taeniolata | 7 | 536 | 0 | 2019 |
| Rusty Snaketail | Ophiogomphus rupinsulensis | 6 | 245 | 4 | 2023 |
| Black-shouldered Spinyleg | Dromogomphus spinosus | 6 | 542 | 0 | 2019 |
| Rainbow Bluet | Enallagma antennatum | 6 | 458 | 0 | 2019 |
| Shadow Darner | Aeshna umbrosa | 5 | 1,031 | 3 | 2023 |
| Dusky Dancer | Argia translata | 5 | 1,376 | 0 | 2021 |
| Carolina Saddlebags | Tramea carolina | 5 | 1,048 | 0 | 2019 |
| Dragonhunter | Hagenius brevistylus | 5 | 439 | 0 | 2019 |
| Ashy Clubtail | Phanogomphus lividus | 4 | 874 | 2 | 2023 |
| Wandering Glider | Pantala flavescens | 4 | 1,241 | 0 | 2022 |
| Ruby Meadowhawk | Sympetrum rubicundulum | 4 | 942 | 0 | 2013 |
| Swift River Cruiser | Macromia illinoiensis | 4 | 688 | 0 | 2021 |
| Slaty Skimmer | Libellula incesta | 3 | 4,032 | 0 | 2018 |
| Azure Bluet | Enallagma aspersum | 3 | 2,115 | 0 | 2022 |
| Swamp Darner | Epiaeschna heros | 3 | 620 | 0 | 2022 |
| Comet Darner | Anax longipes | 3 | 515 | 0 | 2019 |
| Blue-faced Meadowhawk | Sympetrum ambiguum | 2 | 1,204 | 2 | 2023 |
| Painted Skimmer | Libellula semifasciata | 2 | 1,056 | 1 | 2023 |
| Spangled Skimmer | Libellula cyanea | 2 | 1,037 | 0 | 2022 |
| Midland Clubtail | Gomphurus fraternus | 2 | 802 | 0 | 1922 |
| Swift Setwing | Dythemis velox | 2 | 340 | 0 | 2019 |
| Eastern Red Damsel | Amphiagrion saucium | 1 | 1,230 | 0 | 1995 |
| Common Baskettail | Epitheca cynosura | 1 | 748 | 0 | 2019 |
| Spot-winged Glider | Pantala hymenaea | 1 | 478 | 0 | 2018 |
| Aurora Damsel | Chromagrion conditum | 1 | 471 | 0 | 1961 |
| Pronghorn Clubtail | Phanogomphus graslinellus | 1 | 451 | 0 | 1897 |
| Blue Corporal | Ladona deplanata | 1 | 446 | 0 | 2015 |
| Sweetflag Spreadwing | Lestes forcipatus | 1 | 443 | 0 | 2022 |
| Southern Spreadwing | Lestes australis | 1 | 255 | 0 | 2019 |
| Handsome Clubtail | Gomphurus crassus | 1 | 170 | 0 | 1920 |
| Macromia Hybrid | Macromia pacifica x taeniolata | 1 | 90 | 0 | 2018 |
| Gilded River Cruiser | Macromia pacifica | 1 | 73 | 0 | 2018 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Great Blue Skimmer | Libellula vibrans | 467 | 90 | 6 | Jun-Jul |
| Red Saddlebags | Tramea onusta | 145 | 29 | 6 | Jun-Jul |
| Lancet Clubtail | Phanogomphus exilis | 1,518 | 99 | 5 | early Jun |
| Great Spreadwing | Archilestes grandis | 824 | 93 | 5 | Sep |
| Variegated Meadowhawk | Sympetrum corruptum | 117 | 41 | 5 | Apr-Sep |
| Springtime Darner | Basiaeschna janata | 298 | 26 | 5 | May |
| Emerald Spreadwing | Lestes dryas | 479 | 15 | 5 | Jun |
| Four-spotted Skimmer | Libellula quadrimaculata | 285 | 43 | 4 | Jun |
| Banded Pennant | Celithemis fasciata | 684 | 12 | 4 | Jul |
| Elegant Spreadwing | Lestes inaequalis | 479 | 8 | 4 | Jun |
| Seepage Dancer | Argia bipunctulata | 1,028 | 869 | 3 | Jun-Jul |
| Paiute Dancer | Argia alberta | 347 | 316 | 3 | Jun |
| Band-winged Meadowhawk | Sympetrum semicinctum | 860 | 262 | 3 | Jul-Aug |
| Brown Spiketail | Cordulegaster bilineata | 216 | 127 | 3 | late May-early Jun |
| Rapids Clubtail | Phanogomphus quadricolor | 287 | 70 | 3 | Jun |
| Clamp-tipped Emerald | Somatochlora tenebrosa | 208 | 66 | 3 | Aug |
| Dot-tailed Whiteface | Leucorrhinia intacta | 1,357 | 60 | 3 | early Jun |
| Spatterdock Darner | Rhionaeschna mutata | 335 | 27 | 3 | Jun |
| Mocha Emerald | Somatochlora linearis | 192 | 5 | 3 | late Jun-late Aug |
| Tule Bluet | Enallagma carunculatum | 498 | 207 | 2 | Jun-Jul |
| Sphagnum Sprite | Nehalennia gracilis | 370 | 101 | 2 | late Jun-early Jul |
| Gray Petaltail | Tachopteryx thoreyi | 390 | 60 | 2 | Jun |
| Arrow Clubtail | Stylurus spiniceps | 305 | 17 | 2 | late Aug-early Sep |
| Amber-winged Spreadwing | Lestes eurinus | 610 | 8 | 2 | Jun-Jul |
| Russet-tipped Clubtail | Stylurus plagiatus | 307 | 8 | 2 | Sep |
| White-faced Meadowhawk | Sympetrum obtrusum | 272 | 8 | 2 | Sep |
| Sedge Sprite | Nehalennia irene | 359 | 5 | 2 | Jun |
| Arrowhead Spiketail | Cordulegaster obliqua | 172 | 3 | 2 | late May-early Jun |
| Green-striped Darner | Aeshna verticalis | 262 | 2 | 2 | Sep |
| Lyre-tipped Spreadwing | Lestes unguiculatus | 180 | 2 | 2 | Jun-Jul |
| Eastern Ringtail | Erpetogomphus designatus | 150 | 2 | 2 | Aug |
| Golden-winged Skimmer | Libellula auripennis | 44 | 2 | 2 | late Jun |
| Elfin Skimmer | Nannothemis bella | 485 | 419 | 1 | Jun-Jul |
| Lilypad Forktail | Ischnura kellicotti | 733 | 172 | 1 | Jun-Sep |
| Splendid Clubtail | Gomphurus lineatifrons | 95 | 14 | 1 | Jun |
| Lance-tipped Darner | Aeshna constricta | 358 | 2 | 1 | Sep |
| Eastern Least Clubtail | Stylogomphus albistylus | 262 | 2 | 1 | Jun |
| Stygian Shadowdragon | Neurocordulia yamaskanensis | 68 | 2 | 1 | late Jun |
| Smoky Rubyspot | Hetaerina titia | 346 | 1 | 1 | early Sep |
| Stream Cruiser | Didymops transversa | 121 | 1 | 1 | May |
| Northern Spreadwing | Lestes disjunctus | 24 | 1 | 1 | Jun-Aug |
| Band-winged Dragonlet | Erythrodiplax umbrata | 16 | 1 | 1 | Jun-Aug |
| Riverine Clubtail | Stylurus amnicola | 15 | 1 | 1 | Aug |
| Rambur's Forktail | Ischnura ramburii | 15 | 1 | 1 | Jul |
| Furtive Forktail | Ischnura prognata | 5 | 1 | 1 | |
| Cobra Clubtail | Gomphurus vastus | 377 | 0 | 0 | Jun |
| Dusky Clubtail | Phanogomphus spicatus | 191 | 0 | 0 | early Jun |
| Plains Clubtail | Gomphurus externus | 189 | 0 | 0 | mid Jun-mid Jul |
| Hagen's Bluet | Enallagma hageni | 84 | 0 | 0 | Jun |
| River Jewelwing | Calopteryx aequabilis | 77 | 0 | 0 | early Jun |
| Marsh Bluet | Enallagma ebrium | 66 | 0 | 0 | mid Jun |
| Green-faced Clubtail | Hylogomphus viridifrons | 59 | 0 | 0 | mid Jun |
| 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 |
| Allegheny River Cruiser | Macromia alleghaniensis | 16 | 0 | 0 | Jul |
| Taiga Bluet | Coenagrion resolutum | 4 | 0 | 0 | |
| Taper-tailed Darner | Gomphaeschna antilope | 3 | 0 | 0 | Jun |
| Atlantic Bluet | Enallagma doubledayi | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Madison County is in the Till Plains ecoregion. Big Darby Creek cuts across the NE corner, and North Fork Paint Creek rises in the county’s SW corner, both in the Scioto River Watershed.
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