Stark County
Known species: 99
Total Observations: 10,758
Population: 375,432
Area in Square Miles: 575
People per Square Mile: 647
Observations per Square Mile: 14.3
Percent of State Species: 57%
Percent of State Observations: 3.5%
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 | Stark Total | Ohio Total | Stark 2025 | Last Sighted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Rubyspot | Hetaerina americana | 596 | 5,250 | 58 | 2025 |
| Eastern Forktail | Ischnura verticalis | 592 | 18,549 | 53 | 2025 |
| Eastern Pondhawk | Erythemis simplicicollis | 482 | 19,534 | 52 | 2025 |
| Common Whitetail | Plathemis lydia | 474 | 14,243 | 49 | 2025 |
| Blue-fronted Dancer | Argia apicalis | 463 | 7,716 | 40 | 2025 |
| Blue Dasher | Pachydiplax longipennis | 428 | 18,692 | 39 | 2025 |
| Fragile Forktail | Ischnura posita | 422 | 15,432 | 44 | 2025 |
| Ebony Jewelwing | Calopteryx maculata | 396 | 10,084 | 37 | 2025 |
| Eastern Amberwing | Perithemis tenera | 362 | 12,693 | 28 | 2025 |
| Blue-tipped Dancer | Argia tibialis | 344 | 5,374 | 32 | 2025 |
| Widow Skimmer | Libellula luctuosa | 331 | 14,355 | 35 | 2025 |
| Violet Dancer | Argia fumipennis violacea | 326 | 8,693 | 27 | 2025 |
| Autumn Meadowhawk | Sympetrum vicinum | 323 | 10,593 | 28 | 2025 |
| Stream Bluet | Enallagma exsulans | 316 | 5,543 | 29 | 2025 |
| Slender Spreadwing | Lestes rectangularis | 262 | 4,797 | 60 | 2025 |
| Familiar Bluet | Enallagma civile | 239 | 7,430 | 31 | 2025 |
| Eastern Red Damsel | Amphiagrion saucium | 199 | 1,600 | 24 | 2025 |
| Azure Bluet | Enallagma aspersum | 193 | 2,863 | 28 | 2025 |
| Band-winged Meadowhawk | Sympetrum semicinctum | 193 | 1,106 | 23 | 2025 |
| Slaty Skimmer | Libellula incesta | 170 | 5,911 | 21 | 2025 |
| Plains Clubtail | Gomphurus externus | 168 | 244 | 1 | 2025 |
| Orange Bluet | Enallagma signatum | 155 | 4,380 | 12 | 2025 |
| Skimming Bluet | Enallagma geminatum | 154 | 4,461 | 7 | 2025 |
| Common Green Darner | Anax junius | 145 | 6,289 | 20 | 2025 |
| Lilypad Forktail | Ischnura kellicotti | 143 | 961 | 12 | 2025 |
| Calico Pennant | Celithemis elisa | 142 | 3,706 | 13 | 2025 |
| Blue-ringed Dancer | Argia sedula | 141 | 3,416 | 7 | 2025 |
| Twelve-spotted Skimmer | Libellula pulchella | 124 | 4,080 | 10 | 2025 |
| Double-striped Bluet | Enallagma basidens | 107 | 6,256 | 9 | 2025 |
| Black Saddlebags | Tramea lacerata | 103 | 4,110 | 17 | 2025 |
| Shadow Darner | Aeshna umbrosa | 99 | 1,353 | 20 | 2025 |
| Amber-winged Spreadwing | Lestes eurinus | 98 | 759 | 20 | 2025 |
| Midland Clubtail | Gomphurus fraternus | 97 | 1,012 | 0 | 2024 |
| Unicorn Clubtail | Arigomphus villosipes | 88 | 2,314 | 2 | 2025 |
| Powdered Dancer | Argia moesta | 87 | 6,026 | 15 | 2025 |
| Lancet Clubtail | Phanogomphus exilis | 85 | 2,034 | 9 | 2025 |
| Sphagnum Sprite | Nehalennia gracilis | 84 | 514 | 7 | 2025 |
| Westfall's Slender Bluet | Enallagma traviatum westfalli | 79 | 2,589 | 9 | 2025 |
| Great Spreadwing | Archilestes grandis | 78 | 1,133 | 16 | 2025 |
| Blue-faced Meadowhawk | Sympetrum ambiguum | 77 | 1,926 | 7 | 2025 |
| Spotted Spreadwing | Lestes congener | 72 | 1,069 | 21 | 2025 |
| Turquoise Bluet | Enallagma divagans | 69 | 1,043 | 9 | 2025 |
| Spangled Skimmer | Libellula cyanea | 66 | 1,304 | 8 | 2025 |
| Painted Skimmer | Libellula semifasciata | 65 | 1,355 | 10 | 2025 |
| Arrow Clubtail | Stylurus spiniceps | 58 | 341 | 3 | 2025 |
| Cobra Clubtail | Gomphurus vastus | 54 | 486 | 0 | 2024 |
| Carolina Saddlebags | Tramea carolina | 52 | 1,444 | 10 | 2025 |
| Halloween Pennant | Celithemis eponina | 51 | 5,028 | 5 | 2025 |
| Prince Baskettail | Epitheca princeps | 46 | 3,264 | 6 | 2025 |
| Wandering Glider | Pantala flavescens | 45 | 1,903 | 7 | 2025 |
| Seepage Dancer | Argia bipunctulata | 45 | 1,464 | 2 | 2025 |
| Fawn Darner | Boyeria vinosa | 45 | 615 | 1 | 2025 |
| Citrine Forktail | Ischnura hastata | 44 | 1,238 | 10 | 2025 |
| Dusky Dancer | Argia translata | 40 | 1,962 | 3 | 2025 |
| Rainbow Bluet | Enallagma antennatum | 37 | 540 | 6 | 2025 |
| Comet Darner | Anax longipes | 36 | 724 | 5 | 2025 |
| Dot-tailed Whiteface | Leucorrhinia intacta | 35 | 1,915 | 4 | 2025 |
| Aurora Damsel | Chromagrion conditum | 33 | 706 | 24 | 2025 |
| Emerald Spreadwing | Lestes dryas | 32 | 708 | 4 | 2025 |
| Sweetflag Spreadwing | Lestes forcipatus | 30 | 605 | 7 | 2025 |
| Swamp Darner | Epiaeschna heros | 30 | 849 | 3 | 2025 |
| Ashy Clubtail | Phanogomphus lividus | 27 | 1,150 | 2 | 2025 |
| Elegant Spreadwing | Lestes inaequalis | 26 | 616 | 1 | 2025 |
| Green-striped Darner | Aeshna verticalis | 26 | 395 | 0 | 2023 |
| Black-tipped Darner | Aeshna tuberculifera | 25 | 181 | 1 | 2025 |
| Swift River Cruiser | Macromia illinoiensis | 24 | 837 | 0 | 2023 |
| Royal River Cruiser | Macromia taeniolata | 21 | 679 | 0 | 2024 |
| Common Baskettail | Epitheca cynosura | 20 | 1,067 | 3 | 2025 |
| Spot-winged Glider | Pantala hymenaea | 19 | 667 | 4 | 2025 |
| Mocha Emerald | Somatochlora linearis | 19 | 263 | 1 | 2025 |
| Cyrano Darner | Nasiaeschna pentacantha | 18 | 366 | 4 | 2025 |
| Swamp Spreadwing | Lestes vigilax | 18 | 706 | 0 | 2024 |
| Ruby Meadowhawk | Sympetrum rubicundulum | 15 | 991 | 1 | 2025 |
| Southern Spreadwing | Lestes australis | 14 | 329 | 8 | 2025 |
| Vesper Bluet | Enallagma vesperum | 13 | 999 | 0 | 2023 |
| Rapids Clubtail | Phanogomphus quadricolor | 13 | 445 | 0 | 2024 |
| Clamp-tipped Emerald | Somatochlora tenebrosa | 12 | 251 | 10 | 2025 |
| Tule Bluet | Enallagma carunculatum | 12 | 685 | 0 | 2024 |
| Springtime Darner | Basiaeschna janata | 11 | 466 | 3 | 2025 |
| Great Blue Skimmer | Libellula vibrans | 11 | 513 | 0 | 2022 |
| Spatterdock Darner | Rhionaeschna mutata | 11 | 443 | 0 | 2024 |
| Sedge Sprite | Nehalennia irene | 9 | 414 | 0 | 2022 |
| White-faced Meadowhawk | Sympetrum obtrusum | 7 | 383 | 4 | 2025 |
| Red Saddlebags | Tramea onusta | 6 | 199 | 3 | 2025 |
| Four-spotted Skimmer | Libellula quadrimaculata | 5 | 297 | 0 | 2023 |
| Dragonhunter | Hagenius brevistylus | 4 | 729 | 2 | 2025 |
| Lance-tipped Darner | Aeshna constricta | 4 | 363 | 0 | 2011 |
| Black-shouldered Spinyleg | Dromogomphus spinosus | 3 | 763 | 0 | 2014 |
| Lyre-tipped Spreadwing | Lestes unguiculatus | 3 | 247 | 0 | 2018 |
| Gilded River Cruiser | Macromia pacifica | 2 | 92 | 0 | 2020 |
| Racket-tailed Emerald | Dorocordulia libera | 2 | 66 | 0 | 2010 |
| Pronghorn Clubtail | Phanogomphus graslinellus | 1 | 566 | 0 | 1980 |
| Handsome Clubtail | Gomphurus crassus | 1 | 226 | 0 | 2022 |
| Variegated Meadowhawk | Sympetrum corruptum | 1 | 170 | 0 | 1934 |
| Delta-spotted Spiketail | Zoraena diastatops | 1 | 150 | 0 | 2001 |
| Macromia Hybrid | Macromia pacifica x taeniolata | 1 | 110 | 0 | 2002 |
| Wabash River Cruiser | Macromia wabashensis | 1 | 25 | 0 | 2002 |
| Brush-tipped Emerald | Somatochlora walshii | 1 | 23 | 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 | Zoraena obliqua | 207 | 24 | 5 | late May-early Jun |
| Eastern Least Clubtail | Stylogomphus albistylus | 382 | 20 | 5 | Jun |
| Twin-spotted Spiketail | Zoraena maculata | 99 | 15 | 5 | late May-mid Jun |
| Smoky Rubyspot | Hetaerina titia | 421 | 98 | 3 | early Sep |
| Gray Petaltail | Tachopteryx thoreyi | 494 | 16 | 3 | Jun |
| Rusty Snaketail | Ophiogomphus rupinsulensis | 428 | 12 | 3 | Jun |
| Harlequin Darner | Gomphaeschna furcillata | 135 | 31 | 2 | late May-early Jun |
| Hagen's Bluet | Enallagma hageni | 85 | 23 | 2 | Jun |
| Beaverpond Baskettail | Epitheca canis | 89 | 22 | 2 | May |
| Ocellated Darner | Boyeria grafiana | 70 | 17 | 2 | Sep |
| Tiger Spiketail | Zoraena erronea | 134 | 9 | 2 | Jul |
| Lilypad Clubtail | Arigomphus furcifer | 153 | 7 | 2 | early Jun |
| Stream Cruiser | Macromia transversa | 163 | 5 | 2 | May |
| Elfin Skimmer | Nannothemis bella | 676 | 24 | 1 | Jun-Jul |
| Frosted Whiteface | Leucorrhinia frigida | 29 | 11 | 1 | early Jun |
| Northern Bluet | Enallagma annexum | 82 | 5 | 1 | Jun |
| Slender Baskettail | Epitheca costalis | 28 | 5 | 1 | late May |
| American Emerald | Cordulia shurtleffii | 14 | 5 | 1 | May |
| Splendid Clubtail | Gomphurus lineatifrons | 141 | 4 | 1 | Jun |
| Rambur's Forktail | Ischnura ramburii | 15 | 4 | 1 | Jul |
| 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 | 133 | 1 | 1 | late May-early Jun |
| Striped Saddlebags | Tramea darwini | 60 | 1 | 1 | early Oct |
| Golden-winged Skimmer | Libellula auripennis | 46 | 1 | 1 | late Jun |
| River Bluet | Enallagma anna | 21 | 1 | 1 | Jun |
| Banded Pennant | Celithemis fasciata | 977 | 0 | 0 | Jul |
| Dusky Clubtail | Phanogomphus spicatus | 298 | 0 | 0 | early Jun |
| Elusive Clubtail | Stylurus notatus | 205 | 0 | 0 | Sep |
| River Jewelwing | Calopteryx aequabilis | 81 | 0 | 0 | early Jun |
| Stygian Shadowdragon | Neurocordulia yamaskanensis | 74 | 0 | 0 | late Jun |
| Riffle Snaketail | Ophiogomphus carolus | 64 | 0 | 0 | mid Jun |
| Boreal Bluet | Enallagma boreale | 49 | 0 | 0 | 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 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