Morgan County

Known species: 69
Total Observations: 952
Population: 14,904
Area in Square Miles: 416
People per Square Mile: 35
Observations per Square Mile: 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.

Morgan County Ohio

Observed Species

Common NameScientific NameMorgan TotalOhio TotalMorgan 2023Last Sighted
Eastern PondhawkErythemis simplicicollis8813,870112023
Widow SkimmerLibellula luctuosa6010,35232023
Eastern AmberwingPerithemis tenera578,81942023
Blue DasherPachydiplax longipennis4913,16942023
Fragile ForktailIschnura posita4810,727182023
Blue-fronted DancerArgia apicalis425,69212023
Double-striped BluetEnallagma basidens404,313112023
Common WhitetailPlathemis lydia349,89862023
Dusky DancerArgia translata341,37612023
Eastern ForktailIschnura verticalis3313,32652023
Lilypad ForktailIschnura kellicotti3373332023
Slaty SkimmerLibellula incesta334,03212023
Ebony JewelwingCalopteryx maculata287,16902022
Orange BluetEnallagma signatum253,184142023
Violet DancerArgia fumipennis violacea246,24722023
Halloween PennantCelithemis eponina243,62802022
Blue-ringed DancerArgia sedula222,36462023
Spangled SkimmerLibellula cyanea211,03712023
Skimming BluetEnallagma geminatum163,10952023
Prince BaskettailEpitheca princeps162,39052023
Calico PennantCelithemis elisa142,75202022
Black SaddlebagsTramea lacerata122,83932023
Unicorn ClubtailArigomphus villosipes121,68712023
Stream BluetEnallagma exsulans124,09702021
Black-shouldered SpinylegDromogomphus spinosus1254202022
Lancet ClubtailPhanogomphus exilis111,51812023
Blue-tipped DancerArgia tibialis113,78502019
Dot-tailed WhitefaceLeucorrhinia intacta101,35742023
Royal River CruiserMacromia taeniolata953601995
Eastern Red DamselAmphiagrion saucium71,23052023
Common Green DarnerAnax junius74,14612023
Twelve-spotted SkimmerLibellula pulchella73,37702020
Swamp SpreadwingLestes vigilax654462023
Azure BluetEnallagma aspersum62,11512023
Familiar BluetEnallagma civile65,11102021
Banded PennantCelithemis fasciata668402022
Autumn MeadowhawkSympetrum vicinum56,97112023
Westfall's Slender BluetEnallagma traviatum westfalli51,99112023
Common BaskettailEpitheca cynosura574812023
American RubyspotHetaerina americana53,76102018
Fawn DarnerBoyeria vinosa544002020
Ruby MeadowhawkSympetrum rubicundulum494201997
Swift River CruiserMacromia illinoiensis468801988
Springtime DarnerBasiaeschna janata429802020
Slender SpreadwingLestes rectangularis33,49202021
Ashy ClubtailPhanogomphus lividus387401993
Blue CorporalLadona deplanata344602022
Vesper BluetEnallagma vesperum274022023
Swift SetwingDythemis velox234012023
Powdered DancerArgia moesta24,24702019
Midland ClubtailGomphurus fraternus280201991
Flag-tailed SpinylegDromogomphus spoliatus274302022
Umber ShadowdragonNeurocordulia obsoleta2601988
Wandering GliderPantala flavescens11,24102022
Blue-faced MeadowhawkSympetrum ambiguum11,20402019
Carolina SaddlebagsTramea carolina11,04802019
Citrine ForktailIschnura hastata189902021
Band-winged MeadowhawkSympetrum semicinctum186001994
Great SpreadwingArchilestes grandis182401992
Amber-winged SpreadwingLestes eurinus161001960
Elegant SpreadwingLestes inaequalis147902018
Aurora DamselChromagrion conditum147101991
Great Blue SkimmerLibellula vibrans146701960
DragonhunterHagenius brevistylus143902019
Mocha EmeraldSomatochlora linearis119202019
Twin-spotted SpiketailCordulegaster maculata19001993
Gilded River CruiserMacromia pacifica17301995
Stygian ShadowdragonNeurocordulia yamaskanensis16801989
Wabash River CruiserMacromia wabashensis12501982
Emerald SpreadwingLestes dryas047902018


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 NameScientific NameOhio ObsLocal Obs# of CountiesPeak Active
Stream CruiserDidymops transversa121175May
Spot-winged GliderPantala hymenaea47874Jul
Arrowhead SpiketailCordulegaster obliqua17254late May-early Jun
Smoky RubyspotHetaerina titia346573early Sep
Turquoise BluetEnallagma divagans768143May-Jun
Painted SkimmerLibellula semifasciata1,05693May
Shadow DarnerAeshna umbrosa1,03163Sep-Oct
Southern SpreadwingLestes australis25563May
Swamp DarnerEpiaeschna heros62043late May-early Jun
Comet DarnerAnax longipes515142mid Jun-mid Jul
Arrow ClubtailStylurus spiniceps305102late Aug-early Sep
Common SanddragonProgomphus obscurus14172late Jun-mid Jul
Sphagnum SpriteNehalennia gracilis37042late Jun-early Jul
Gray PetaltailTachopteryx thoreyi39032Jun
Cobra ClubtailGomphurus vastus37732Jun
Tiger SpiketailCordulegaster erronea10632Jul
Uhler's SundragonHelocordulia uhleri5532May
Elusive ClubtailStylurus notatus10122Sep
Rapids ClubtailPhanogomphus quadricolor28751Jun
Russet-tipped ClubtailStylurus plagiatus30731Sep
Spotted SpreadwingLestes congener73121late Aug-late Sep
Sedge SpriteNehalennia irene35921Jun
Green-faced ClubtailHylogomphus viridifrons5921mid Jun
Pronghorn ClubtailPhanogomphus graslinellus45111late May-early Jun
White-faced MeadowhawkSympetrum obtrusum27211Sep
Eastern Least ClubtailStylogomphus albistylus26211Jun
Variegated MeadowhawkSympetrum corruptum11711Apr-Sep
Allegheny River CruiserMacromia alleghaniensis1611Jul
Rainbow BluetEnallagma antennatum45800Jun
Lance-tipped DarnerAeshna constricta35800Sep
Green-striped DarnerAeshna verticalis26200Sep
Clamp-tipped EmeraldSomatochlora tenebrosa20800Aug
Black-tipped DarnerAeshna tuberculifera14100late Aug-early Sep
Marsh BluetEnallagma ebrium6600mid Jun
Northern SpreadwingLestes disjunctus2400Jun-Aug
Smoky ShadowdragonNeurocordulia molesta1800Jun
Northern Pygmy ClubtailLanthus parvulus700Jun
Incurvate EmeraldSomatochlora incurvata100Jul

Morgan County is located in the Unglaciated Allegheny Plateau and Appalachian mixed mesophytic forest ecoregions. The Muskingum River flows through the center of the county from north to south (see Rivers of Morgan County). Much of the NE corner of the county was strip mined and has been mostly reclaimed.

Places to visit

  • Appalachian Hills Wildlife Area is a 54,525-acre open for public access. Located in portions of Muskingum, Noble and Morgan counties, it surrounds Jesse Owens Wildlife Area. The terrain, dissected by numerous small streams, is rolling to rugged. Much of the land that has been subjected to various forms of mining and is in various stages of restoration. It consists of 68 percent forestland, 27 percent grassland/open land and 5 percent wetlands and ponds. As a result of surface mining, the area is dotted with hundreds of artificial ponds and small lakes. 36 odonate species have been observed, but it has not received much observation attention, and additional species likely remain to be found. Much of the area lacks cell coverage, and outside of several toilets in Jesse Owens State Park, there are no facilities.

  • Burr Oak State Park is a 2,600 acre park with a 664 acre lake.

  • The Muskingum River can be accessed at Eagleport, McConnelsville, Stockport, Beverly, Lowell and Devola (see Muskingum River State Park). Muskingum River Water Trail guide from ODNR (river access points, parks, and facilities).

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 20 February 2024