Stark County
Known species: 99
Total Observations: 8,220
Population: 375,432
Area in Square Miles: 575
People per Square Mile: 647
Observations per Square Mile: 14.3
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.
Observed Species
Common Name | Scientific Name | Stark Total | Ohio Total | Stark 2023 | Last Sighted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Rubyspot | Hetaerina americana | 464 | 3,761 | 56 | 2023 |
| Eastern Forktail | Ischnura verticalis | 458 | 13,326 | 87 | 2023 |
| Eastern Pondhawk | Erythemis simplicicollis | 373 | 13,870 | 57 | 2023 |
| Blue-fronted Dancer | Argia apicalis | 372 | 5,692 | 62 | 2023 |
| Common Whitetail | Plathemis lydia | 366 | 9,898 | 67 | 2023 |
| Blue Dasher | Pachydiplax longipennis | 349 | 13,169 | 47 | 2023 |
| Fragile Forktail | Ischnura posita | 328 | 10,727 | 55 | 2023 |
| Ebony Jewelwing | Calopteryx maculata | 316 | 7,169 | 42 | 2023 |
| Eastern Amberwing | Perithemis tenera | 281 | 8,819 | 36 | 2023 |
| Violet Dancer | Argia fumipennis violacea | 262 | 6,247 | 40 | 2023 |
| Widow Skimmer | Libellula luctuosa | 252 | 10,352 | 51 | 2023 |
| Blue-tipped Dancer | Argia tibialis | 252 | 3,785 | 39 | 2023 |
| Autumn Meadowhawk | Sympetrum vicinum | 251 | 6,971 | 36 | 2023 |
| Stream Bluet | Enallagma exsulans | 242 | 4,097 | 49 | 2023 |
| Slender Spreadwing | Lestes rectangularis | 169 | 3,492 | 45 | 2023 |
| Band-winged Meadowhawk | Sympetrum semicinctum | 168 | 860 | 4 | 2023 |
| Familiar Bluet | Enallagma civile | 166 | 5,111 | 42 | 2023 |
| Eastern Red Damsel | Amphiagrion saucium | 147 | 1,230 | 30 | 2023 |
| Plains Clubtail | Gomphurus externus | 139 | 189 | 7 | 2023 |
| Slaty Skimmer | Libellula incesta | 128 | 4,032 | 29 | 2023 |
| Azure Bluet | Enallagma aspersum | 125 | 2,115 | 31 | 2023 |
| Skimming Bluet | Enallagma geminatum | 118 | 3,109 | 21 | 2023 |
| Orange Bluet | Enallagma signatum | 115 | 3,184 | 21 | 2023 |
| Lilypad Forktail | Ischnura kellicotti | 107 | 733 | 47 | 2023 |
| Common Green Darner | Anax junius | 105 | 4,146 | 22 | 2023 |
| Calico Pennant | Celithemis elisa | 100 | 2,752 | 35 | 2023 |
| Blue-ringed Dancer | Argia sedula | 96 | 2,364 | 10 | 2023 |
| Twelve-spotted Skimmer | Libellula pulchella | 94 | 3,377 | 14 | 2023 |
| Double-striped Bluet | Enallagma basidens | 79 | 4,313 | 34 | 2023 |
| Midland Clubtail | Gomphurus fraternus | 76 | 802 | 7 | 2023 |
| Amber-winged Spreadwing | Lestes eurinus | 70 | 610 | 22 | 2023 |
| Shadow Darner | Aeshna umbrosa | 67 | 1,031 | 5 | 2023 |
| Unicorn Clubtail | Arigomphus villosipes | 65 | 1,687 | 13 | 2023 |
| Powdered Dancer | Argia moesta | 64 | 4,247 | 3 | 2023 |
| Lancet Clubtail | Phanogomphus exilis | 63 | 1,518 | 27 | 2023 |
| Sphagnum Sprite | Nehalennia gracilis | 63 | 370 | 15 | 2023 |
| Black Saddlebags | Tramea lacerata | 62 | 2,839 | 12 | 2023 |
| Westfall's Slender Bluet | Enallagma traviatum westfalli | 58 | 1,991 | 20 | 2023 |
| Arrow Clubtail | Stylurus spiniceps | 51 | 305 | 0 | 2022 |
| Painted Skimmer | Libellula semifasciata | 47 | 1,056 | 17 | 2023 |
| Spangled Skimmer | Libellula cyanea | 45 | 1,037 | 10 | 2023 |
| Turquoise Bluet | Enallagma divagans | 44 | 768 | 26 | 2023 |
| Cobra Clubtail | Gomphurus vastus | 44 | 377 | 1 | 2023 |
| Fawn Darner | Boyeria vinosa | 41 | 440 | 0 | 2022 |
| Spotted Spreadwing | Lestes congener | 38 | 731 | 15 | 2023 |
| Great Spreadwing | Archilestes grandis | 37 | 824 | 4 | 2023 |
| Halloween Pennant | Celithemis eponina | 36 | 3,628 | 5 | 2023 |
| Blue-faced Meadowhawk | Sympetrum ambiguum | 35 | 1,204 | 2 | 2023 |
| Prince Baskettail | Epitheca princeps | 34 | 2,390 | 8 | 2023 |
| Wandering Glider | Pantala flavescens | 32 | 1,241 | 2 | 2023 |
| Carolina Saddlebags | Tramea carolina | 31 | 1,048 | 9 | 2023 |
| Dot-tailed Whiteface | Leucorrhinia intacta | 30 | 1,357 | 4 | 2023 |
| Dusky Dancer | Argia translata | 30 | 1,376 | 3 | 2023 |
| Citrine Forktail | Ischnura hastata | 29 | 899 | 12 | 2023 |
| Emerald Spreadwing | Lestes dryas | 28 | 479 | 3 | 2023 |
| Rainbow Bluet | Enallagma antennatum | 27 | 458 | 12 | 2023 |
| Swamp Darner | Epiaeschna heros | 26 | 620 | 0 | 2022 |
| Comet Darner | Anax longipes | 24 | 515 | 7 | 2023 |
| Swift River Cruiser | Macromia illinoiensis | 24 | 688 | 2 | 2023 |
| Black-tipped Darner | Aeshna tuberculifera | 20 | 141 | 19 | 2023 |
| Green-striped Darner | Aeshna verticalis | 19 | 262 | 14 | 2023 |
| Ashy Clubtail | Phanogomphus lividus | 19 | 874 | 4 | 2023 |
| Elegant Spreadwing | Lestes inaequalis | 18 | 479 | 3 | 2023 |
| Seepage Dancer | Argia bipunctulata | 18 | 1,028 | 1 | 2023 |
| Mocha Emerald | Somatochlora linearis | 17 | 192 | 3 | 2023 |
| Sweetflag Spreadwing | Lestes forcipatus | 17 | 443 | 2 | 2023 |
| Swamp Spreadwing | Lestes vigilax | 16 | 544 | 9 | 2023 |
| Royal River Cruiser | Macromia taeniolata | 16 | 536 | 1 | 2023 |
| Spot-winged Glider | Pantala hymenaea | 15 | 478 | 4 | 2023 |
| Ruby Meadowhawk | Sympetrum rubicundulum | 14 | 942 | 0 | 2021 |
| Vesper Bluet | Enallagma vesperum | 13 | 740 | 3 | 2023 |
| Common Baskettail | Epitheca cynosura | 12 | 748 | 2 | 2023 |
| Tule Bluet | Enallagma carunculatum | 11 | 498 | 0 | 2021 |
| Great Blue Skimmer | Libellula vibrans | 11 | 467 | 0 | 2022 |
| Spatterdock Darner | Rhionaeschna mutata | 10 | 335 | 0 | 2022 |
| Cyrano Darner | Nasiaeschna pentacantha | 9 | 277 | 6 | 2023 |
| Aurora Damsel | Chromagrion conditum | 9 | 471 | 0 | 2022 |
| Sedge Sprite | Nehalennia irene | 9 | 359 | 0 | 2022 |
| Southern Spreadwing | Lestes australis | 6 | 255 | 3 | 2023 |
| Springtime Darner | Basiaeschna janata | 5 | 298 | 4 | 2023 |
| Four-spotted Skimmer | Libellula quadrimaculata | 5 | 285 | 4 | 2023 |
| Rapids Clubtail | Phanogomphus quadricolor | 5 | 287 | 1 | 2023 |
| Lance-tipped Darner | Aeshna constricta | 4 | 358 | 0 | 2011 |
| Black-shouldered Spinyleg | Dromogomphus spinosus | 3 | 542 | 0 | 2014 |
| White-faced Meadowhawk | Sympetrum obtrusum | 3 | 272 | 0 | 2014 |
| Lyre-tipped Spreadwing | Lestes unguiculatus | 3 | 180 | 0 | 2018 |
| Red Saddlebags | Tramea onusta | 3 | 145 | 0 | 2022 |
| Dragonhunter | Hagenius brevistylus | 2 | 439 | 0 | 2022 |
| Clamp-tipped Emerald | Somatochlora tenebrosa | 2 | 208 | 0 | 2015 |
| Gilded River Cruiser | Macromia pacifica | 2 | 73 | 0 | 2020 |
| Racket-tailed Emerald | Dorocordulia libera | 2 | 64 | 0 | 2010 |
| Pronghorn Clubtail | Phanogomphus graslinellus | 1 | 451 | 0 | 1980 |
| Handsome Clubtail | Gomphurus crassus | 1 | 170 | 0 | 2022 |
| Delta-spotted Spiketail | Cordulegaster diastatops | 1 | 131 | 0 | 2001 |
| Variegated Meadowhawk | Sympetrum corruptum | 1 | 117 | 0 | 1934 |
| Macromia Hybrid | Macromia pacifica x taeniolata | 1 | 90 | 0 | 2002 |
| Wabash River Cruiser | Macromia wabashensis | 1 | 25 | 0 | 2002 |
| Brush-tipped Emerald | Somatochlora walshii | 1 | 16 | 0 | 2002 |
| Northern Pygmy Clubtail | Lanthus parvulus | 1 | 7 | 0 | 1934 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arrowhead Spiketail | Cordulegaster obliqua | 172 | 18 | 5 | late May-early Jun |
| Eastern Least Clubtail | Stylogomphus albistylus | 262 | 15 | 5 | Jun |
| Twin-spotted Spiketail | Cordulegaster maculata | 90 | 13 | 5 | late May-mid Jun |
| Gray Petaltail | Tachopteryx thoreyi | 390 | 13 | 3 | Jun |
| Hagen's Bluet | Enallagma hageni | 84 | 22 | 2 | Jun |
| Harlequin Darner | Gomphaeschna furcillata | 106 | 10 | 2 | late May-early Jun |
| Ocellated Darner | Boyeria grafiana | 50 | 9 | 2 | Sep |
| Beaverpond Baskettail | Epitheca canis | 38 | 9 | 2 | May |
| Rusty Snaketail | Ophiogomphus rupinsulensis | 245 | 8 | 2 | Jun |
| Tiger Spiketail | Cordulegaster erronea | 106 | 7 | 2 | Jul |
| Lilypad Clubtail | Arigomphus furcifer | 113 | 5 | 2 | early Jun |
| Stream Cruiser | Didymops transversa | 121 | 2 | 2 | May |
| Smoky Rubyspot | Hetaerina titia | 346 | 54 | 1 | early Sep |
| Elfin Skimmer | Nannothemis bella | 485 | 20 | 1 | Jun-Jul |
| Frosted Whiteface | Leucorrhinia frigida | 29 | 11 | 1 | early Jun |
| American Emerald | Cordulia shurtleffii | 14 | 5 | 1 | May |
| Northern Bluet | Enallagma annexum | 65 | 4 | 1 | Jun |
| Slender Baskettail | Epitheca costalis | 19 | 4 | 1 | late May |
| Rambur's Forktail | Ischnura ramburii | 15 | 4 | 1 | Jul |
| Splendid Clubtail | Gomphurus lineatifrons | 95 | 3 | 1 | Jun |
| Marsh Bluet | Enallagma ebrium | 66 | 3 | 1 | mid Jun |
| Chalk-fronted Corporal | Ladona julia | 59 | 3 | 1 | late May |
| Scarlet Skimmer | Crocothemis servilia | 2 | 2 | 1 | Jul |
| Southern Pygmy Clubtail | Lanthus vernalis | 113 | 1 | 1 | late May-early Jun |
| Striped Saddlebags | Tramea darwini | 33 | 1 | 1 | early Oct |
| Banded Pennant | Celithemis fasciata | 684 | 0 | 0 | Jul |
| Dusky Clubtail | Phanogomphus spicatus | 191 | 0 | 0 | early Jun |
| Elusive Clubtail | Stylurus notatus | 101 | 0 | 0 | Sep |
| River Jewelwing | Calopteryx aequabilis | 77 | 0 | 0 | early Jun |
| Stygian Shadowdragon | Neurocordulia yamaskanensis | 68 | 0 | 0 | late Jun |
| Boreal Bluet | Enallagma boreale | 44 | 0 | 0 | Jun |
| Riffle Snaketail | Ophiogomphus carolus | 35 | 0 | 0 | mid Jun |
| Northern Spreadwing | Lestes disjunctus | 24 | 0 | 0 | Jun-Aug |
| Cherry-faced Meadowhawk | Sympetrum internum | 14 | 0 | 0 | Sep |
| Umber Shadowdragon | Neurocordulia obsoleta | 6 | 0 | 0 | Jun |
Most of Stark County is located in the Glaciated Allegheny Plateau ecoregion. A small area in the southern part of the county is unglaciated.
Places to Visit
Tuscarawas River Water Trail guide from ODNR. Map showing river access points, towpath trail, 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