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.

Muskingum County Ohio

Observed Species

Common NameScientific NameMuskingum TotalOhio TotalMuskingum 2024Last Sighted
Eastern ForktailIschnura verticalis11115,99262024
Eastern PondhawkErythemis simplicicollis10616,36542024
Blue DasherPachydiplax longipennis10215,60172024
Fragile ForktailIschnura posita8113,19942024
Widow SkimmerLibellula luctuosa7911,93182024
Common WhitetailPlathemis lydia6712,02252024
Eastern AmberwingPerithemis tenera6510,88762024
Violet DancerArgia fumipennis violacea597,55722024
Blue-fronted DancerArgia apicalis586,58452024
Double-striped BluetEnallagma basidens585,34322024
Ebony JewelwingCalopteryx maculata518,60602023
Skimming BluetEnallagma geminatum453,83212024
Familiar BluetEnallagma civile446,17312024
Azure BluetEnallagma aspersum442,48802023
Blue-ringed DancerArgia sedula412,83722024
Halloween PennantCelithemis eponina354,18742024
Calico PennantCelithemis elisa333,19422024
American RubyspotHetaerina americana324,44402023
Slaty SkimmerLibellula incesta294,92062024
Autumn MeadowhawkSympetrum vicinum298,45612024
Lancet ClubtailPhanogomphus exilis271,80302023
Westfall's Slender BluetEnallagma traviatum westfalli252,36732024
Slender SpreadwingLestes rectangularis253,90402022
Orange BluetEnallagma signatum243,79112024
Stream BluetEnallagma exsulans244,80302023
Spangled SkimmerLibellula cyanea231,19712024
Dot-tailed WhitefaceLeucorrhinia intacta231,70202023
Black SaddlebagsTramea lacerata223,38032024
Prince BaskettailEpitheca princeps202,78802023
Common Green DarnerAnax junius195,16012024
Ruby MeadowhawkSympetrum rubicundulum1696502019
Powdered DancerArgia moesta155,14102023
Carolina SaddlebagsTramea carolina131,26312024
Spotted SpreadwingLestes congener1386002021
Stream CruiserDidymops transversa1114032024
Common BaskettailEpitheca cynosura1187412024
Blue-tipped DancerArgia tibialis114,49202023
Twelve-spotted SkimmerLibellula pulchella113,74002023
Banded PennantCelithemis fasciata986032024
Comet DarnerAnax longipes960522024
Blue CorporalLadona deplanata960112024
Shadow DarnerAeshna umbrosa91,18702022
Fawn DarnerBoyeria vinosa951901993
Ashy ClubtailPhanogomphus lividus81,00902023
Springtime DarnerBasiaeschna janata837402023
Dusky DancerArgia translata71,68102023
Unicorn ClubtailArigomphus villosipes62,06502023
Painted SkimmerLibellula semifasciata61,20802023
Citrine ForktailIschnura hastata696202018
Great SpreadwingArchilestes grandis695902017
Cobra ClubtailGomphurus vastus647102019
Eastern Red DamselAmphiagrion saucium51,42002020
Vesper BluetEnallagma vesperum592202023
Southern SpreadwingLestes australis528402017
Swamp DarnerEpiaeschna heros471502019
Aurora DamselChromagrion conditum457602023
Emerald SpreadwingLestes dryas456702019
Great Blue SkimmerLibellula vibrans450102019
Band-winged MeadowhawkSympetrum semicinctum393102021
Smoky RubyspotHetaerina titia337702021
Spot-winged GliderPantala hymenaea256212024
Wandering GliderPantala flavescens21,52302022
Midland ClubtailGomphurus fraternus292702013
Swift River CruiserMacromia illinoiensis276002021
Amber-winged SpreadwingLestes eurinus270602013
Swamp SpreadwingLestes vigilax260802023
Royal River CruiserMacromia taeniolata259802019
Rainbow BluetEnallagma antennatum248501936
Swift SetwingDythemis velox244702017
Arrow ClubtailStylurus spiniceps232101988
Tiger SpiketailZoraena erronea212602007
Blue-faced MeadowhawkSympetrum ambiguum11,45201991
Black-shouldered SpinylegDromogomphus spinosus167102018
Lance-tipped DarnerAeshna constricta136101986
White-faced MeadowhawkSympetrum obtrusum130501961
Arrowhead SpiketailZoraena obliqua118902020
Elusive ClubtailStylurus notatus113702021
Twin-spotted SpiketailZoraena maculata19502020
Marsh BluetEnallagma ebrium16601986
Smoky ShadowdragonNeurocordulia molesta11801988


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
DragonhunterHagenius brevistylus589416mid Jun
Elegant SpreadwingLestes inaequalis580145Jun
Gray PetaltailTachopteryx thoreyi446303Jun
Sedge SpriteNehalennia irene39643Jun
Eastern Least ClubtailStylogomphus albistylus32943Jun
Pronghorn ClubtailPhanogomphus graslinellus50333late May-early Jun
Spatterdock DarnerRhionaeschna mutata396162Jun
Clamp-tipped EmeraldSomatochlora tenebrosa21772Aug
Green-striped DarnerAeshna verticalis34242Sep
Mocha EmeraldSomatochlora linearis20242late Jun-late Aug
Red SaddlebagsTramea onusta14642Jun-Jul
Sweetflag SpreadwingLestes forcipatus51432Jul-Aug
Cyrano DarnerNasiaeschna pentacantha32122mid Jun
Black-tipped DarnerAeshna tuberculifera16322late Aug-early Sep
Lilypad ForktailIschnura kellicotti858381Jun-Sep
Laura's ClubtailStylurus laurae51191late Jul-early Sep
Turquoise BluetEnallagma divagans91871May-Jun
Sphagnum SpriteNehalennia gracilis44331late Jun-early Jul
Rapids ClubtailPhanogomphus quadricolor37731Jun
Flag-tailed SpinylegDromogomphus spoliatus80921late Jul
Rusty SnaketailOphiogomphus rupinsulensis34811Jun
Variegated MeadowhawkSympetrum corruptum14911Apr-Sep
Gilded River CruiserMacromia pacifica8811late Jul
Cherry-faced MeadowhawkSympetrum internum1411Sep
Furtive ForktailIschnura prognata511
Tule BluetEnallagma carunculatum56900Jun-Jul
Brown SpiketailZoraena bilineata24000late May-early Jun
Lyre-tipped SpreadwingLestes unguiculatus21000Jun-Jul
Delta-spotted SpiketailZoraena diastatops14200early Jun
Lilypad ClubtailArigomphus furcifer13700early Jun
Green-faced ClubtailHylogomphus viridifrons9800mid Jun
Stygian ShadowdragonNeurocordulia yamaskanensis6800late Jun
Skillet ClubtailGomphurus ventricosus2600Jun
Wabash River CruiserMacromia wabashensis2500Aug
Northern Pygmy ClubtailLanthus parvulus700Jun
Umber ShadowdragonNeurocordulia obsoleta600Jun

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