Shelby County
Known species: 72
Total Observations: 1,244
Population: 49,192
Area in Square Miles: 408
People per Square Mile: 120
Observations per Square Mile: 3.1
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 | Shelby Total | Ohio Total | Shelby 2023 | Last Sighted |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Eastern Amberwing | Perithemis tenera | 92 | 8,819 | 8 | 2023 |
Eastern Forktail | Ischnura verticalis | 86 | 13,326 | 13 | 2023 |
Blue Dasher | Pachydiplax longipennis | 75 | 13,169 | 9 | 2023 |
Eastern Pondhawk | Erythemis simplicicollis | 70 | 13,870 | 9 | 2023 |
Fragile Forktail | Ischnura posita | 68 | 10,727 | 10 | 2023 |
Jade Clubtail | Arigomphus submedianus | 65 | 106 | 6 | 2023 |
Blue-fronted Dancer | Argia apicalis | 62 | 5,692 | 4 | 2023 |
Widow Skimmer | Libellula luctuosa | 60 | 10,352 | 9 | 2023 |
American Rubyspot | Hetaerina americana | 54 | 3,761 | 7 | 2023 |
Common Whitetail | Plathemis lydia | 50 | 9,898 | 9 | 2023 |
Familiar Bluet | Enallagma civile | 45 | 5,111 | 2 | 2023 |
Orange Bluet | Enallagma signatum | 42 | 3,184 | 8 | 2023 |
Violet Dancer | Argia fumipennis violacea | 41 | 6,247 | 4 | 2023 |
Ebony Jewelwing | Calopteryx maculata | 36 | 7,169 | 5 | 2023 |
Blue-ringed Dancer | Argia sedula | 35 | 2,364 | 4 | 2023 |
Prince Baskettail | Epitheca princeps | 34 | 2,390 | 4 | 2023 |
Stream Bluet | Enallagma exsulans | 33 | 4,097 | 7 | 2023 |
Powdered Dancer | Argia moesta | 32 | 4,247 | 4 | 2023 |
Blue-tipped Dancer | Argia tibialis | 27 | 3,785 | 9 | 2023 |
Double-striped Bluet | Enallagma basidens | 16 | 4,313 | 1 | 2023 |
Dragonhunter | Hagenius brevistylus | 15 | 439 | 5 | 2023 |
Unicorn Clubtail | Arigomphus villosipes | 15 | 1,687 | 3 | 2023 |
Autumn Meadowhawk | Sympetrum vicinum | 13 | 6,971 | 3 | 2023 |
Twelve-spotted Skimmer | Libellula pulchella | 13 | 3,377 | 0 | 2021 |
Emerald Spreadwing | Lestes dryas | 9 | 479 | 7 | 2023 |
Slender Spreadwing | Lestes rectangularis | 9 | 3,492 | 1 | 2023 |
Skimming Bluet | Enallagma geminatum | 9 | 3,109 | 1 | 2023 |
Rainbow Bluet | Enallagma antennatum | 7 | 458 | 1 | 2023 |
Midland Clubtail | Gomphurus fraternus | 6 | 802 | 2 | 2023 |
Westfall's Slender Bluet | Enallagma traviatum westfalli | 6 | 1,991 | 1 | 2023 |
Common Green Darner | Anax junius | 6 | 4,146 | 0 | 2021 |
Flag-tailed Spinyleg | Dromogomphus spoliatus | 6 | 743 | 0 | 2021 |
Swift River Cruiser | Macromia illinoiensis | 6 | 688 | 0 | 2022 |
Gray Petaltail | Tachopteryx thoreyi | 5 | 390 | 2 | 2023 |
Brown Spiketail | Cordulegaster bilineata | 5 | 216 | 2 | 2023 |
Arrow Clubtail | Stylurus spiniceps | 5 | 305 | 0 | 2021 |
Springtime Darner | Basiaeschna janata | 4 | 298 | 2 | 2023 |
Cyrano Darner | Nasiaeschna pentacantha | 4 | 277 | 2 | 2023 |
Halloween Pennant | Celithemis eponina | 4 | 3,628 | 1 | 2023 |
Slaty Skimmer | Libellula incesta | 4 | 4,032 | 0 | 2022 |
Wandering Glider | Pantala flavescens | 4 | 1,241 | 0 | 2018 |
Fawn Darner | Boyeria vinosa | 3 | 440 | 1 | 2023 |
Black Saddlebags | Tramea lacerata | 3 | 2,839 | 0 | 2021 |
Calico Pennant | Celithemis elisa | 3 | 2,752 | 0 | 2021 |
Blue-faced Meadowhawk | Sympetrum ambiguum | 3 | 1,204 | 0 | 2020 |
Ruby Meadowhawk | Sympetrum rubicundulum | 3 | 942 | 0 | 1935 |
Swamp Darner | Epiaeschna heros | 3 | 620 | 0 | 2022 |
Great Blue Skimmer | Libellula vibrans | 3 | 467 | 0 | 2022 |
Amber-winged Spreadwing | Lestes eurinus | 2 | 610 | 1 | 2023 |
Cobra Clubtail | Gomphurus vastus | 2 | 377 | 1 | 2023 |
Eastern Red Damsel | Amphiagrion saucium | 2 | 1,230 | 0 | 2021 |
Painted Skimmer | Libellula semifasciata | 2 | 1,056 | 0 | 2022 |
Shadow Darner | Aeshna umbrosa | 2 | 1,031 | 0 | 2017 |
Citrine Forktail | Ischnura hastata | 2 | 899 | 0 | 2019 |
Common Baskettail | Epitheca cynosura | 2 | 748 | 0 | 2021 |
Banded Pennant | Celithemis fasciata | 2 | 684 | 0 | 2021 |
Pronghorn Clubtail | Phanogomphus graslinellus | 2 | 451 | 0 | 2021 |
Rapids Clubtail | Phanogomphus quadricolor | 2 | 287 | 0 | 2021 |
Lancet Clubtail | Phanogomphus exilis | 1 | 1,518 | 1 | 2023 |
Turquoise Bluet | Enallagma divagans | 1 | 768 | 1 | 2023 |
Lyre-tipped Spreadwing | Lestes unguiculatus | 1 | 180 | 1 | 2023 |
Azure Bluet | Enallagma aspersum | 1 | 2,115 | 0 | 2021 |
Dusky Dancer | Argia translata | 1 | 1,376 | 0 | 2017 |
Dot-tailed Whiteface | Leucorrhinia intacta | 1 | 1,357 | 0 | 2022 |
Carolina Saddlebags | Tramea carolina | 1 | 1,048 | 0 | 2018 |
Ashy Clubtail | Phanogomphus lividus | 1 | 874 | 0 | 2021 |
Vesper Bluet | Enallagma vesperum | 1 | 740 | 0 | 2019 |
Spotted Spreadwing | Lestes congener | 1 | 731 | 0 | 2009 |
Black-shouldered Spinyleg | Dromogomphus spinosus | 1 | 542 | 0 | 2022 |
Royal River Cruiser | Macromia taeniolata | 1 | 536 | 0 | 2022 |
Spot-winged Glider | Pantala hymenaea | 1 | 478 | 0 | 1896 |
White-faced Meadowhawk | Sympetrum obtrusum | 1 | 272 | 0 | 1935 |
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 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Swamp Spreadwing | Lestes vigilax | 544 | 113 | 4 | Jul |
Comet Darner | Anax longipes | 515 | 33 | 4 | mid Jun-mid Jul |
Spatterdock Darner | Rhionaeschna mutata | 335 | 31 | 4 | Jun |
Lilypad Forktail | Ischnura kellicotti | 733 | 194 | 3 | Jun-Sep |
Band-winged Meadowhawk | Sympetrum semicinctum | 860 | 97 | 3 | Jul-Aug |
Spangled Skimmer | Libellula cyanea | 1,037 | 27 | 3 | Jun |
Sweetflag Spreadwing | Lestes forcipatus | 443 | 13 | 3 | Jul-Aug |
Four-spotted Skimmer | Libellula quadrimaculata | 285 | 10 | 3 | Jun |
Great Spreadwing | Archilestes grandis | 824 | 8 | 3 | Sep |
Arrowhead Spiketail | Cordulegaster obliqua | 172 | 7 | 3 | late May-early Jun |
Clamp-tipped Emerald | Somatochlora tenebrosa | 208 | 53 | 2 | Aug |
Elegant Spreadwing | Lestes inaequalis | 479 | 34 | 2 | Jun |
Gilded River Cruiser | Macromia pacifica | 73 | 22 | 2 | late Jul |
Handsome Clubtail | Gomphurus crassus | 170 | 20 | 2 | late May-early Jun |
Southern Spreadwing | Lestes australis | 255 | 5 | 2 | May |
Mocha Emerald | Somatochlora linearis | 192 | 3 | 2 | late Jun-late Aug |
Macromia Hybrid | Macromia pacifica x taeniolata | 90 | 3 | 2 | late Jul-mid Aug |
Red Saddlebags | Tramea onusta | 145 | 2 | 2 | Jun-Jul |
Seepage Dancer | Argia bipunctulata | 1,028 | 802 | 1 | Jun-Jul |
Elfin Skimmer | Nannothemis bella | 485 | 419 | 1 | Jun-Jul |
Swift Setwing | Dythemis velox | 340 | 214 | 1 | Jul-Aug |
Tule Bluet | Enallagma carunculatum | 498 | 206 | 1 | Jun-Jul |
Paiute Dancer | Argia alberta | 347 | 129 | 1 | Jun |
Sphagnum Sprite | Nehalennia gracilis | 370 | 46 | 1 | late Jun-early Jul |
Blue Corporal | Ladona deplanata | 446 | 32 | 1 | May |
Tiger Spiketail | Cordulegaster erronea | 106 | 9 | 1 | Jul |
Aurora Damsel | Chromagrion conditum | 471 | 3 | 1 | late May-early Jun |
Variegated Meadowhawk | Sympetrum corruptum | 117 | 3 | 1 | Apr-Sep |
Lance-tipped Darner | Aeshna constricta | 358 | 2 | 1 | Sep |
Green-striped Darner | Aeshna verticalis | 262 | 1 | 1 | Sep |
Eastern Ringtail | Erpetogomphus designatus | 150 | 1 | 1 | Aug |
Northern Spreadwing | Lestes disjunctus | 24 | 1 | 1 | Jun-Aug |
Band-winged Dragonlet | Erythrodiplax umbrata | 16 | 1 | 1 | Jun-Aug |
Furtive Forktail | Ischnura prognata | 5 | 1 | 1 | |
Sedge Sprite | Nehalennia irene | 359 | 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 |
Marsh Bluet | Enallagma ebrium | 66 | 0 | 0 | mid Jun |
Green-faced Clubtail | Hylogomphus viridifrons | 59 | 0 | 0 | mid Jun |
Wabash River Cruiser | Macromia wabashensis | 25 | 0 | 0 | Aug |
Hine's Emerald | Somatochlora hineana | 24 | 0 | 0 | Jun |
Shelby County is located in the Till Plains ecoregion. The NW corner of the county is within the Lake Erie Watershed (See p. 12 in Ohio Coastal Atlas: Chapter 2 for a detailed watershed map). The remainder of the county drains into the Ohio River Basin through the Great Miami River (see Rivers of Shelby County, Ohio).
Places to Visit
The Great Miami River runs across the county from the East to the South. It is most accessible in the Sidney area, especially in the Custenborder Field area west of Riverside Dr. Species here include Dragonhunter, Flag-tailed Spinyleg, Royal River Cruiser. The Great Miami River Water Trail Map provides guidance on river access and facilities.
Tawawa Park is a 220 acre complex where Mosquito Creek joins the Great Miami River. Mosquito Creek is frequently wadable. Tawawa also has several spring-fed ponds that feed into Tawawa Lake. There is habitat for a variety of pond dragons and damsels. The outlet from Tawawa Lake has 5 species of Argia (Dancers) mixed in with American Rubyspot and Ebony Jewelwing. Many parking areas and trails. Restrooms are available.
Sidney Roadside Park South of Sidney on S Main Ave is Roadside Park (900 S Main Ave, Sidney, OH 45365). There is a small pond and access to the Great Miami River. Parking is available and sometimes a commode restroom. GMR can be waded at this location. The pond is algae-covered by late summer.
Lake Loramie State Park Lake 1,655-acre Lake Loramie was created by damming Loramie Creek. Originally serving as a canal feeder, today it serves recreational uses. Has restrooms. Over 4.5 mi from the dam east to ramp at SR 119, Lake Loramie provides diverse Odonata habitat. 38 species have been recorded, including most of the still-water dragons and damsels. The state-listed Jade Clubtail can be found all around the lake in late June.
Lockington Reserve, Lockington Dam was one of the dams built as a part of the Miami Conservancy District. 27 species have recently been identified. There is parking, but no restrooms. Trails exist, but getting to water is challenging.
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 21 February 2024