Muskingum County
Known species: 80
Total Observations: 1,688
Population: 85,231
Area in Square Miles: 665
People per Square Mile: 127
Observations per Square Mile: 2.4
Percent of State Species: 46%
Percent of State Observations: 0.6%
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![]() | Muskingum Total![]() | Ohio Total![]() | Muskingum 2024![]() | Last Sighted![]() |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Eastern Forktail | Ischnura verticalis | 111 | 15,992 | 6 | 2024 |
Eastern Pondhawk | Erythemis simplicicollis | 106 | 16,365 | 4 | 2024 |
Blue Dasher | Pachydiplax longipennis | 102 | 15,601 | 7 | 2024 |
Fragile Forktail | Ischnura posita | 81 | 13,199 | 4 | 2024 |
Widow Skimmer | Libellula luctuosa | 79 | 11,931 | 8 | 2024 |
Common Whitetail | Plathemis lydia | 67 | 12,022 | 5 | 2024 |
Eastern Amberwing | Perithemis tenera | 65 | 10,887 | 6 | 2024 |
Violet Dancer | Argia fumipennis violacea | 59 | 7,557 | 2 | 2024 |
Blue-fronted Dancer | Argia apicalis | 58 | 6,584 | 5 | 2024 |
Double-striped Bluet | Enallagma basidens | 58 | 5,343 | 2 | 2024 |
Ebony Jewelwing | Calopteryx maculata | 51 | 8,606 | 0 | 2023 |
Skimming Bluet | Enallagma geminatum | 45 | 3,832 | 1 | 2024 |
Familiar Bluet | Enallagma civile | 44 | 6,173 | 1 | 2024 |
Azure Bluet | Enallagma aspersum | 44 | 2,488 | 0 | 2023 |
Blue-ringed Dancer | Argia sedula | 41 | 2,837 | 2 | 2024 |
Halloween Pennant | Celithemis eponina | 35 | 4,187 | 4 | 2024 |
Calico Pennant | Celithemis elisa | 33 | 3,194 | 2 | 2024 |
American Rubyspot | Hetaerina americana | 32 | 4,444 | 0 | 2023 |
Slaty Skimmer | Libellula incesta | 29 | 4,920 | 6 | 2024 |
Autumn Meadowhawk | Sympetrum vicinum | 29 | 8,456 | 1 | 2024 |
Lancet Clubtail | Phanogomphus exilis | 27 | 1,803 | 0 | 2023 |
Westfall's Slender Bluet | Enallagma traviatum westfalli | 25 | 2,367 | 3 | 2024 |
Slender Spreadwing | Lestes rectangularis | 25 | 3,904 | 0 | 2022 |
Orange Bluet | Enallagma signatum | 24 | 3,791 | 1 | 2024 |
Stream Bluet | Enallagma exsulans | 24 | 4,803 | 0 | 2023 |
Spangled Skimmer | Libellula cyanea | 23 | 1,197 | 1 | 2024 |
Dot-tailed Whiteface | Leucorrhinia intacta | 23 | 1,702 | 0 | 2023 |
Black Saddlebags | Tramea lacerata | 22 | 3,380 | 3 | 2024 |
Prince Baskettail | Epitheca princeps | 20 | 2,788 | 0 | 2023 |
Common Green Darner | Anax junius | 19 | 5,160 | 1 | 2024 |
Ruby Meadowhawk | Sympetrum rubicundulum | 16 | 965 | 0 | 2019 |
Powdered Dancer | Argia moesta | 15 | 5,141 | 0 | 2023 |
Carolina Saddlebags | Tramea carolina | 13 | 1,263 | 1 | 2024 |
Spotted Spreadwing | Lestes congener | 13 | 860 | 0 | 2021 |
Stream Cruiser | Didymops transversa | 11 | 140 | 3 | 2024 |
Common Baskettail | Epitheca cynosura | 11 | 874 | 1 | 2024 |
Blue-tipped Dancer | Argia tibialis | 11 | 4,492 | 0 | 2023 |
Twelve-spotted Skimmer | Libellula pulchella | 11 | 3,740 | 0 | 2023 |
Banded Pennant | Celithemis fasciata | 9 | 860 | 3 | 2024 |
Comet Darner | Anax longipes | 9 | 605 | 2 | 2024 |
Blue Corporal | Ladona deplanata | 9 | 601 | 1 | 2024 |
Shadow Darner | Aeshna umbrosa | 9 | 1,187 | 0 | 2022 |
Fawn Darner | Boyeria vinosa | 9 | 519 | 0 | 1993 |
Ashy Clubtail | Phanogomphus lividus | 8 | 1,009 | 0 | 2023 |
Springtime Darner | Basiaeschna janata | 8 | 374 | 0 | 2023 |
Dusky Dancer | Argia translata | 7 | 1,681 | 0 | 2023 |
Unicorn Clubtail | Arigomphus villosipes | 6 | 2,065 | 0 | 2023 |
Painted Skimmer | Libellula semifasciata | 6 | 1,208 | 0 | 2023 |
Citrine Forktail | Ischnura hastata | 6 | 962 | 0 | 2018 |
Great Spreadwing | Archilestes grandis | 6 | 959 | 0 | 2017 |
Cobra Clubtail | Gomphurus vastus | 6 | 471 | 0 | 2019 |
Eastern Red Damsel | Amphiagrion saucium | 5 | 1,420 | 0 | 2020 |
Vesper Bluet | Enallagma vesperum | 5 | 922 | 0 | 2023 |
Southern Spreadwing | Lestes australis | 5 | 284 | 0 | 2017 |
Swamp Darner | Epiaeschna heros | 4 | 715 | 0 | 2019 |
Aurora Damsel | Chromagrion conditum | 4 | 576 | 0 | 2023 |
Emerald Spreadwing | Lestes dryas | 4 | 567 | 0 | 2019 |
Great Blue Skimmer | Libellula vibrans | 4 | 501 | 0 | 2019 |
Band-winged Meadowhawk | Sympetrum semicinctum | 3 | 931 | 0 | 2021 |
Smoky Rubyspot | Hetaerina titia | 3 | 377 | 0 | 2021 |
Spot-winged Glider | Pantala hymenaea | 2 | 562 | 1 | 2024 |
Wandering Glider | Pantala flavescens | 2 | 1,523 | 0 | 2022 |
Midland Clubtail | Gomphurus fraternus | 2 | 927 | 0 | 2013 |
Swift River Cruiser | Macromia illinoiensis | 2 | 760 | 0 | 2021 |
Amber-winged Spreadwing | Lestes eurinus | 2 | 706 | 0 | 2013 |
Swamp Spreadwing | Lestes vigilax | 2 | 608 | 0 | 2023 |
Royal River Cruiser | Macromia taeniolata | 2 | 598 | 0 | 2019 |
Rainbow Bluet | Enallagma antennatum | 2 | 485 | 0 | 1936 |
Swift Setwing | Dythemis velox | 2 | 447 | 0 | 2017 |
Arrow Clubtail | Stylurus spiniceps | 2 | 321 | 0 | 1988 |
Tiger Spiketail | Zoraena erronea | 2 | 126 | 0 | 2007 |
Blue-faced Meadowhawk | Sympetrum ambiguum | 1 | 1,452 | 0 | 1991 |
Black-shouldered Spinyleg | Dromogomphus spinosus | 1 | 671 | 0 | 2018 |
Lance-tipped Darner | Aeshna constricta | 1 | 361 | 0 | 1986 |
White-faced Meadowhawk | Sympetrum obtrusum | 1 | 305 | 0 | 1961 |
Arrowhead Spiketail | Zoraena obliqua | 1 | 189 | 0 | 2020 |
Elusive Clubtail | Stylurus notatus | 1 | 137 | 0 | 2021 |
Twin-spotted Spiketail | Zoraena maculata | 1 | 95 | 0 | 2020 |
Marsh Bluet | Enallagma ebrium | 1 | 66 | 0 | 1986 |
Smoky Shadowdragon | Neurocordulia molesta | 1 | 18 | 0 | 1988 |
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 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Dragonhunter | Hagenius brevistylus | 589 | 41 | 6 | mid Jun |
Elegant Spreadwing | Lestes inaequalis | 580 | 14 | 5 | Jun |
Gray Petaltail | Tachopteryx thoreyi | 446 | 30 | 3 | Jun |
Sedge Sprite | Nehalennia irene | 396 | 4 | 3 | Jun |
Eastern Least Clubtail | Stylogomphus albistylus | 329 | 4 | 3 | Jun |
Pronghorn Clubtail | Phanogomphus graslinellus | 503 | 3 | 3 | late May-early Jun |
Spatterdock Darner | Rhionaeschna mutata | 396 | 16 | 2 | Jun |
Clamp-tipped Emerald | Somatochlora tenebrosa | 217 | 7 | 2 | Aug |
Green-striped Darner | Aeshna verticalis | 342 | 4 | 2 | Sep |
Mocha Emerald | Somatochlora linearis | 202 | 4 | 2 | late Jun-late Aug |
Red Saddlebags | Tramea onusta | 146 | 4 | 2 | Jun-Jul |
Sweetflag Spreadwing | Lestes forcipatus | 514 | 3 | 2 | Jul-Aug |
Cyrano Darner | Nasiaeschna pentacantha | 321 | 2 | 2 | mid Jun |
Black-tipped Darner | Aeshna tuberculifera | 163 | 2 | 2 | late Aug-early Sep |
Lilypad Forktail | Ischnura kellicotti | 858 | 38 | 1 | Jun-Sep |
Laura's Clubtail | Stylurus laurae | 51 | 19 | 1 | late Jul-early Sep |
Turquoise Bluet | Enallagma divagans | 918 | 7 | 1 | May-Jun |
Sphagnum Sprite | Nehalennia gracilis | 443 | 3 | 1 | late Jun-early Jul |
Rapids Clubtail | Phanogomphus quadricolor | 377 | 3 | 1 | Jun |
Flag-tailed Spinyleg | Dromogomphus spoliatus | 809 | 2 | 1 | late Jul |
Rusty Snaketail | Ophiogomphus rupinsulensis | 348 | 1 | 1 | Jun |
Variegated Meadowhawk | Sympetrum corruptum | 149 | 1 | 1 | Apr-Sep |
Gilded River Cruiser | Macromia pacifica | 88 | 1 | 1 | late Jul |
Cherry-faced Meadowhawk | Sympetrum internum | 14 | 1 | 1 | Sep |
Furtive Forktail | Ischnura prognata | 5 | 1 | 1 | |
Tule Bluet | Enallagma carunculatum | 569 | 0 | 0 | Jun-Jul |
Brown Spiketail | Zoraena bilineata | 240 | 0 | 0 | late May-early Jun |
Lyre-tipped Spreadwing | Lestes unguiculatus | 210 | 0 | 0 | Jun-Jul |
Delta-spotted Spiketail | Zoraena diastatops | 142 | 0 | 0 | early Jun |
Lilypad Clubtail | Arigomphus furcifer | 137 | 0 | 0 | early Jun |
Green-faced Clubtail | Hylogomphus viridifrons | 98 | 0 | 0 | mid Jun |
Stygian Shadowdragon | Neurocordulia yamaskanensis | 68 | 0 | 0 | late Jun |
Skillet Clubtail | Gomphurus ventricosus | 26 | 0 | 0 | Jun |
Wabash River Cruiser | Macromia wabashensis | 25 | 0 | 0 | Aug |
Northern Pygmy Clubtail | Lanthus parvulus | 7 | 0 | 0 | Jun |
Umber Shadowdragon | Neurocordulia obsoleta | 6 | 0 | 0 | Jun |
Muskingum County is located in the Unglaciated Allegheny Plateau. The major watercourse is the Muskingum River, which flows south to the Ohio River across the center of the county. The Licking River joins the Muskingum at the county seat, Zanesville. The north central part, and the SE corner of the county was strip mined and has been mostly reclaimed. (see Muskingum River Watershed)
Places to visit
The Wilds is a 10,000 acre property of reclaimed strip mine that is operated by the Columbus Zoo. Although most of it is closed to public access, there are some open areas. 40 species have been observed.
Appalachian Hills Wildlife Area is a 54,525-acre open for public access located in portions of Muskingum, Morgan and Noble counties. 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. 45 odonate species have been observed (across several counties). Much of the area lacks cell coverage, and there are no facilities.
Dresden River Park provides access to the western shore. River access is also available south of Dresden along the Muskingum Recreation Trail.
Muskingum River Water Trail guide from ODNR. Map showing river access points, parks, and facilities. River access points are also located at Ellis, Zanesville, and Philo.
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.
Muskingum River at Dresden River Park
Page updated 4 September 2025