Preble County
Known species: 62
Total Observations: 1,461
Population: 41,732
Area in Square Miles: 424
People per Square Mile: 98
Observations per Square Mile: 2.6
Percent of State Species: 36%
Percent of State Observations: 0.5%
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 | Preble Total | Ohio Total | Preble 2025 | Last Sighted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Widow Skimmer | Libellula luctuosa | 162 | 14,355 | 39 | 2025 |
| Eastern Pondhawk | Erythemis simplicicollis | 160 | 19,534 | 33 | 2025 |
| Blue Dasher | Pachydiplax longipennis | 82 | 18,692 | 18 | 2025 |
| Eastern Forktail | Ischnura verticalis | 79 | 18,549 | 3 | 2025 |
| Double-striped Bluet | Enallagma basidens | 75 | 6,256 | 5 | 2025 |
| Eastern Amberwing | Perithemis tenera | 72 | 12,693 | 11 | 2025 |
| Fragile Forktail | Ischnura posita | 71 | 15,432 | 12 | 2025 |
| Common Whitetail | Plathemis lydia | 63 | 14,243 | 16 | 2025 |
| Ebony Jewelwing | Calopteryx maculata | 59 | 10,084 | 2 | 2025 |
| Violet Dancer | Argia fumipennis violacea | 58 | 8,693 | 10 | 2025 |
| Prince Baskettail | Epitheca princeps | 45 | 3,264 | 9 | 2025 |
| Blue-fronted Dancer | Argia apicalis | 43 | 7,716 | 7 | 2025 |
| Familiar Bluet | Enallagma civile | 43 | 7,430 | 4 | 2025 |
| Orange Bluet | Enallagma signatum | 42 | 4,380 | 2 | 2025 |
| Slaty Skimmer | Libellula incesta | 39 | 5,911 | 26 | 2025 |
| Pronghorn Clubtail | Phanogomphus graslinellus | 33 | 566 | 0 | 2023 |
| Halloween Pennant | Celithemis eponina | 27 | 5,028 | 8 | 2025 |
| Blue-ringed Dancer | Argia sedula | 25 | 3,416 | 1 | 2025 |
| Stream Bluet | Enallagma exsulans | 23 | 5,543 | 3 | 2025 |
| Westfall's Slender Bluet | Enallagma traviatum westfalli | 21 | 2,589 | 1 | 2025 |
| Calico Pennant | Celithemis elisa | 20 | 3,706 | 2 | 2025 |
| Common Green Darner | Anax junius | 18 | 6,289 | 8 | 2025 |
| Black Saddlebags | Tramea lacerata | 17 | 4,110 | 5 | 2025 |
| Springtime Darner | Basiaeschna janata | 16 | 466 | 3 | 2025 |
| Blue-tipped Dancer | Argia tibialis | 15 | 5,374 | 2 | 2025 |
| Fawn Darner | Boyeria vinosa | 13 | 615 | 0 | 1986 |
| Wandering Glider | Pantala flavescens | 12 | 1,903 | 2 | 2025 |
| American Rubyspot | Hetaerina americana | 9 | 5,250 | 0 | 2023 |
| Twelve-spotted Skimmer | Libellula pulchella | 9 | 4,080 | 0 | 2022 |
| Flag-tailed Spinyleg | Dromogomphus spoliatus | 9 | 939 | 0 | 2024 |
| Blue Corporal | Ladona deplanata | 8 | 696 | 1 | 2025 |
| Common Baskettail | Epitheca cynosura | 7 | 1,067 | 4 | 2025 |
| Autumn Meadowhawk | Sympetrum vicinum | 7 | 10,593 | 1 | 2025 |
| Powdered Dancer | Argia moesta | 7 | 6,026 | 0 | 2023 |
| Slender Spreadwing | Lestes rectangularis | 7 | 4,797 | 0 | 2023 |
| Vesper Bluet | Enallagma vesperum | 7 | 999 | 0 | 2022 |
| Azure Bluet | Enallagma aspersum | 6 | 2,863 | 0 | 2023 |
| Swift Setwing | Dythemis velox | 5 | 592 | 5 | 2025 |
| Jade Clubtail | Arigomphus submedianus | 5 | 124 | 2 | 2025 |
| Skimming Bluet | Enallagma geminatum | 5 | 4,461 | 0 | 2022 |
| Carolina Saddlebags | Tramea carolina | 4 | 1,444 | 0 | 2022 |
| Comet Darner | Anax longipes | 3 | 724 | 1 | 2025 |
| Blue-faced Meadowhawk | Sympetrum ambiguum | 3 | 1,926 | 0 | 2022 |
| Citrine Forktail | Ischnura hastata | 3 | 1,238 | 0 | 2022 |
| Unicorn Clubtail | Arigomphus villosipes | 2 | 2,314 | 0 | 2021 |
| Dusky Dancer | Argia translata | 2 | 1,962 | 0 | 2023 |
| Ashy Clubtail | Phanogomphus lividus | 2 | 1,150 | 0 | 2023 |
| Black-shouldered Spinyleg | Dromogomphus spinosus | 2 | 763 | 0 | 2018 |
| Royal River Cruiser | Macromia taeniolata | 2 | 679 | 0 | 2022 |
| Arrowhead Spiketail | Zoraena obliqua | 2 | 207 | 0 | 2022 |
| Spot-winged Glider | Pantala hymenaea | 1 | 667 | 1 | 2025 |
| Spangled Skimmer | Libellula cyanea | 1 | 1,304 | 0 | 2022 |
| Great Spreadwing | Archilestes grandis | 1 | 1,133 | 0 | 1931 |
| Midland Clubtail | Gomphurus fraternus | 1 | 1,012 | 0 | 2018 |
| Swift River Cruiser | Macromia illinoiensis | 1 | 837 | 0 | 2018 |
| Dragonhunter | Hagenius brevistylus | 1 | 729 | 0 | 2020 |
| Swamp Spreadwing | Lestes vigilax | 1 | 706 | 0 | 2019 |
| Rainbow Bluet | Enallagma antennatum | 1 | 540 | 0 | 2019 |
| White-faced Meadowhawk | Sympetrum obtrusum | 1 | 383 | 0 | 1980 |
| Cyrano Darner | Nasiaeschna pentacantha | 1 | 366 | 0 | 2018 |
| Southern Spreadwing | Lestes australis | 1 | 329 | 0 | 2020 |
| Slender Baskettail | Epitheca costalis | 1 | 28 | 0 | 2022 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spotted Spreadwing | Lestes congener | 1,069 | 106 | 3 | late Aug-late Sep |
| Shadow Darner | Aeshna umbrosa | 1,353 | 61 | 3 | Sep-Oct |
| Painted Skimmer | Libellula semifasciata | 1,355 | 37 | 3 | May |
| Swamp Darner | Epiaeschna heros | 849 | 24 | 3 | late May-early Jun |
| Emerald Spreadwing | Lestes dryas | 708 | 22 | 3 | Jun |
| Great Blue Skimmer | Libellula vibrans | 513 | 13 | 3 | Jun-Jul |
| Cobra Clubtail | Gomphurus vastus | 486 | 112 | 2 | Jun |
| Banded Pennant | Celithemis fasciata | 977 | 107 | 2 | Jul |
| Rapids Clubtail | Phanogomphus quadricolor | 445 | 94 | 2 | Jun |
| Eastern Ringtail | Erpetogomphus designatus | 240 | 81 | 2 | Aug |
| Handsome Clubtail | Gomphurus crassus | 226 | 44 | 2 | late May-early Jun |
| Sweetflag Spreadwing | Lestes forcipatus | 605 | 39 | 2 | Jul-Aug |
| Gilded River Cruiser | Macromia pacifica | 92 | 36 | 2 | late Jul |
| Ruby Meadowhawk | Sympetrum rubicundulum | 991 | 21 | 2 | Jul-Aug |
| Turquoise Bluet | Enallagma divagans | 1,043 | 20 | 2 | May-Jun |
| Amber-winged Spreadwing | Lestes eurinus | 759 | 17 | 2 | Jun-Jul |
| Lancet Clubtail | Phanogomphus exilis | 2,034 | 15 | 2 | early Jun |
| Russet-tipped Clubtail | Stylurus plagiatus | 461 | 15 | 2 | Sep |
| Red Saddlebags | Tramea onusta | 199 | 10 | 2 | Jun-Jul |
| Macromia Hybrid | Macromia pacifica x taeniolata | 110 | 8 | 2 | late Jul-mid Aug |
| Four-spotted Skimmer | Libellula quadrimaculata | 297 | 6 | 2 | Jun |
| Plains Clubtail | Gomphurus externus | 244 | 4 | 2 | mid Jun-mid Jul |
| Arrow Clubtail | Stylurus spiniceps | 341 | 3 | 2 | late Aug-early Sep |
| Gray Petaltail | Tachopteryx thoreyi | 494 | 41 | 1 | Jun |
| Paiute Dancer | Argia alberta | 403 | 36 | 1 | Jun |
| Eastern Red Damsel | Amphiagrion saucium | 1,600 | 31 | 1 | late May-early Jun |
| Seepage Dancer | Argia bipunctulata | 1,464 | 22 | 1 | Jun-Jul |
| Band-winged Meadowhawk | Sympetrum semicinctum | 1,106 | 16 | 1 | Jul-Aug |
| Lilypad Forktail | Ischnura kellicotti | 961 | 15 | 1 | Jun-Sep |
| Dot-tailed Whiteface | Leucorrhinia intacta | 1,915 | 11 | 1 | early Jun |
| Golden-winged Skimmer | Libellula auripennis | 46 | 4 | 1 | late Jun |
| Aurora Damsel | Chromagrion conditum | 706 | 3 | 1 | late May-early Jun |
| Variegated Meadowhawk | Sympetrum corruptum | 170 | 3 | 1 | Apr-Sep |
| Tule Bluet | Enallagma carunculatum | 685 | 1 | 1 | Jun-Jul |
| Spatterdock Darner | Rhionaeschna mutata | 443 | 1 | 1 | Jun |
| Sedge Sprite | Nehalennia irene | 414 | 1 | 1 | Jun |
| Mocha Emerald | Somatochlora linearis | 263 | 1 | 1 | late Jun-late Aug |
| Clamp-tipped Emerald | Somatochlora tenebrosa | 251 | 1 | 1 | Aug |
| Lance-tipped Darner | Aeshna constricta | 363 | 0 | 0 | Sep |
| Brown Spiketail | Zoraena bilineata | 247 | 0 | 0 | late May-early Jun |
| Lyre-tipped Spreadwing | Lestes unguiculatus | 247 | 0 | 0 | Jun-Jul |
| Stream Cruiser | Macromia transversa | 163 | 0 | 0 | May |
| Skillet Clubtail | Gomphurus ventricosus | 26 | 0 | 0 | Jun |
| Wabash River Cruiser | Macromia wabashensis | 25 | 0 | 0 | Aug |
Located entirely in the Till Plains, Preble County borders Indiana. Most of the county is within the The Great Miami River watershed. It has no major rivers.
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 13 January 2026