Summit County
Known species: 115
Total Observations: 13,674
Population: 541,824
Area in Square Miles: 413
People per Square Mile: 1,290
Observations per Square Mile: 24.1
Percent of State Species: 66%
Percent of State Observations: 4.5%
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 | Summit Total | Ohio Total | Summit 2025 | Last Sighted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern Pondhawk | Erythemis simplicicollis | 1,128 | 19,534 | 139 | 2025 |
| Blue Dasher | Pachydiplax longipennis | 1,097 | 18,692 | 133 | 2025 |
| Common Whitetail | Plathemis lydia | 789 | 14,243 | 96 | 2025 |
| Eastern Forktail | Ischnura verticalis | 771 | 18,549 | 114 | 2025 |
| Eastern Amberwing | Perithemis tenera | 712 | 12,693 | 102 | 2025 |
| Widow Skimmer | Libellula luctuosa | 656 | 14,355 | 101 | 2025 |
| Ebony Jewelwing | Calopteryx maculata | 623 | 10,084 | 98 | 2025 |
| Autumn Meadowhawk | Sympetrum vicinum | 602 | 10,593 | 117 | 2025 |
| Slaty Skimmer | Libellula incesta | 548 | 5,911 | 76 | 2025 |
| Fragile Forktail | Ischnura posita | 503 | 15,432 | 77 | 2025 |
| Common Green Darner | Anax junius | 337 | 6,289 | 39 | 2025 |
| Blue-fronted Dancer | Argia apicalis | 295 | 7,716 | 73 | 2025 |
| Violet Dancer | Argia fumipennis violacea | 287 | 8,693 | 39 | 2025 |
| Skimming Bluet | Enallagma geminatum | 267 | 4,461 | 27 | 2025 |
| Familiar Bluet | Enallagma civile | 264 | 7,430 | 38 | 2025 |
| Slender Spreadwing | Lestes rectangularis | 259 | 4,797 | 93 | 2025 |
| Azure Bluet | Enallagma aspersum | 246 | 2,863 | 29 | 2025 |
| Twelve-spotted Skimmer | Libellula pulchella | 246 | 4,080 | 9 | 2025 |
| American Rubyspot | Hetaerina americana | 225 | 5,250 | 75 | 2025 |
| Dot-tailed Whiteface | Leucorrhinia intacta | 204 | 1,915 | 18 | 2025 |
| Orange Bluet | Enallagma signatum | 193 | 4,380 | 55 | 2025 |
| Halloween Pennant | Celithemis eponina | 188 | 5,028 | 20 | 2025 |
| Black Saddlebags | Tramea lacerata | 168 | 4,110 | 19 | 2025 |
| Unicorn Clubtail | Arigomphus villosipes | 166 | 2,314 | 7 | 2025 |
| Blue-tipped Dancer | Argia tibialis | 133 | 5,374 | 36 | 2025 |
| Amber-winged Spreadwing | Lestes eurinus | 132 | 759 | 1 | 2025 |
| Spotted Spreadwing | Lestes congener | 131 | 1,069 | 34 | 2025 |
| Lancet Clubtail | Phanogomphus exilis | 116 | 2,034 | 6 | 2025 |
| Stream Bluet | Enallagma exsulans | 115 | 5,543 | 29 | 2025 |
| Westfall's Slender Bluet | Enallagma traviatum westfalli | 110 | 2,589 | 10 | 2025 |
| Calico Pennant | Celithemis elisa | 103 | 3,706 | 2 | 2025 |
| Shadow Darner | Aeshna umbrosa | 100 | 1,353 | 11 | 2025 |
| Lilypad Forktail | Ischnura kellicotti | 93 | 961 | 33 | 2025 |
| Prince Baskettail | Epitheca princeps | 93 | 3,264 | 13 | 2025 |
| Painted Skimmer | Libellula semifasciata | 82 | 1,355 | 2 | 2025 |
| Band-winged Meadowhawk | Sympetrum semicinctum | 81 | 1,106 | 31 | 2025 |
| Carolina Saddlebags | Tramea carolina | 81 | 1,444 | 2 | 2025 |
| Spatterdock Darner | Rhionaeschna mutata | 78 | 443 | 5 | 2025 |
| Double-striped Bluet | Enallagma basidens | 75 | 6,256 | 11 | 2025 |
| Powdered Dancer | Argia moesta | 73 | 6,026 | 8 | 2025 |
| Great Spreadwing | Archilestes grandis | 69 | 1,133 | 22 | 2025 |
| Comet Darner | Anax longipes | 67 | 724 | 3 | 2025 |
| Eastern Red Damsel | Amphiagrion saucium | 65 | 1,600 | 9 | 2025 |
| Fawn Darner | Boyeria vinosa | 58 | 615 | 1 | 2025 |
| Sphagnum Sprite | Nehalennia gracilis | 57 | 514 | 11 | 2025 |
| Tule Bluet | Enallagma carunculatum | 55 | 685 | 6 | 2025 |
| Vesper Bluet | Enallagma vesperum | 51 | 999 | 20 | 2025 |
| White-faced Meadowhawk | Sympetrum obtrusum | 49 | 383 | 34 | 2025 |
| Green-striped Darner | Aeshna verticalis | 47 | 395 | 7 | 2025 |
| Elegant Spreadwing | Lestes inaequalis | 47 | 616 | 2 | 2025 |
| Emerald Spreadwing | Lestes dryas | 43 | 708 | 39 | 2025 |
| Black-tipped Darner | Aeshna tuberculifera | 35 | 181 | 2 | 2025 |
| Swamp Darner | Epiaeschna heros | 35 | 849 | 1 | 2025 |
| Racket-tailed Emerald | Dorocordulia libera | 34 | 66 | 0 | 2022 |
| Wandering Glider | Pantala flavescens | 30 | 1,903 | 6 | 2025 |
| Common Baskettail | Epitheca cynosura | 29 | 1,067 | 1 | 2025 |
| Elfin Skimmer | Nannothemis bella | 28 | 676 | 1 | 2025 |
| Dusky Dancer | Argia translata | 26 | 1,962 | 1 | 2025 |
| Lance-tipped Darner | Aeshna constricta | 26 | 363 | 0 | 2022 |
| Swamp Spreadwing | Lestes vigilax | 24 | 706 | 2 | 2025 |
| Aurora Damsel | Chromagrion conditum | 22 | 706 | 0 | 2024 |
| Springtime Darner | Basiaeschna janata | 20 | 466 | 3 | 2025 |
| Four-spotted Skimmer | Libellula quadrimaculata | 20 | 297 | 0 | 2024 |
| Gray Petaltail | Tachopteryx thoreyi | 18 | 494 | 1 | 2025 |
| Ocellated Darner | Boyeria grafiana | 17 | 70 | 7 | 2025 |
| Plains Clubtail | Gomphurus externus | 17 | 244 | 1 | 2025 |
| Ruby Meadowhawk | Sympetrum rubicundulum | 17 | 991 | 0 | 2024 |
| Rainbow Bluet | Enallagma antennatum | 15 | 540 | 0 | 2023 |
| Mocha Emerald | Somatochlora linearis | 14 | 263 | 10 | 2025 |
| Citrine Forktail | Ischnura hastata | 14 | 1,238 | 1 | 2025 |
| Sweetflag Spreadwing | Lestes forcipatus | 13 | 605 | 1 | 2025 |
| Arrowhead Spiketail | Zoraena obliqua | 13 | 207 | 1 | 2025 |
| Spot-winged Glider | Pantala hymenaea | 12 | 667 | 2 | 2025 |
| Brush-tipped Emerald | Somatochlora walshii | 11 | 23 | 6 | 2025 |
| Red Saddlebags | Tramea onusta | 11 | 199 | 0 | 2019 |
| Delta-spotted Spiketail | Zoraena diastatops | 11 | 150 | 0 | 2024 |
| Turquoise Bluet | Enallagma divagans | 10 | 1,043 | 2 | 2025 |
| Blue-faced Meadowhawk | Sympetrum ambiguum | 9 | 1,926 | 2 | 2025 |
| Ashy Clubtail | Phanogomphus lividus | 9 | 1,150 | 1 | 2025 |
| Royal River Cruiser | Macromia taeniolata | 9 | 679 | 1 | 2025 |
| Hagen's Bluet | Enallagma hageni | 9 | 85 | 0 | 2020 |
| Arrow Clubtail | Stylurus spiniceps | 8 | 341 | 2 | 2025 |
| Midland Clubtail | Gomphurus fraternus | 8 | 1,012 | 1 | 2025 |
| Eastern Least Clubtail | Stylogomphus albistylus | 8 | 382 | 1 | 2025 |
| Cyrano Darner | Nasiaeschna pentacantha | 8 | 366 | 1 | 2025 |
| Harlequin Darner | Gomphaeschna furcillata | 8 | 135 | 1 | 2025 |
| Clamp-tipped Emerald | Somatochlora tenebrosa | 8 | 251 | 0 | 2024 |
| Tiger Spiketail | Zoraena erronea | 7 | 134 | 1 | 2025 |
| Rapids Clubtail | Phanogomphus quadricolor | 7 | 445 | 0 | 2024 |
| Dragonhunter | Hagenius brevistylus | 6 | 729 | 0 | 2022 |
| Twin-spotted Spiketail | Zoraena maculata | 5 | 99 | 1 | 2025 |
| Slender Baskettail | Epitheca costalis | 5 | 28 | 1 | 2025 |
| Spangled Skimmer | Libellula cyanea | 5 | 1,304 | 0 | 2023 |
| Swift River Cruiser | Macromia illinoiensis | 5 | 837 | 0 | 2024 |
| Great Blue Skimmer | Libellula vibrans | 5 | 513 | 0 | 2024 |
| Marsh Bluet | Enallagma ebrium | 5 | 66 | 0 | 2015 |
| Chalk-fronted Corporal | Ladona julia | 5 | 59 | 0 | 2018 |
| Blue-ringed Dancer | Argia sedula | 4 | 3,416 | 0 | 2020 |
| Sedge Sprite | Nehalennia irene | 4 | 414 | 0 | 2024 |
| Southern Spreadwing | Lestes australis | 4 | 329 | 0 | 2024 |
| Rambur's Forktail | Ischnura ramburii | 4 | 15 | 0 | 2019 |
| Lilypad Clubtail | Arigomphus furcifer | 3 | 153 | 0 | 2020 |
| Banded Pennant | Celithemis fasciata | 2 | 977 | 0 | 1898 |
| Splendid Clubtail | Gomphurus lineatifrons | 2 | 141 | 0 | 1961 |
| Scarlet Skimmer | Crocothemis servilia | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2018 |
| Dusky Clubtail | Phanogomphus spicatus | 1 | 298 | 0 | 1900 |
| Lyre-tipped Spreadwing | Lestes unguiculatus | 1 | 247 | 0 | 1937 |
| Variegated Meadowhawk | Sympetrum corruptum | 1 | 170 | 0 | 2024 |
| Southern Pygmy Clubtail | Lanthus vernalis | 1 | 133 | 0 | 2007 |
| Macromia Hybrid | Macromia pacifica x taeniolata | 1 | 110 | 0 | 2024 |
| Beaverpond Baskettail | Epitheca canis | 1 | 89 | 0 | 2001 |
| River Jewelwing | Calopteryx aequabilis | 1 | 81 | 0 | 1937 |
| Striped Saddlebags | Tramea darwini | 1 | 60 | 0 | 2018 |
| Boreal Bluet | Enallagma boreale | 1 | 49 | 0 | 1995 |
| Golden-winged Skimmer | Libellula auripennis | 1 | 46 | 0 | 2024 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stream Cruiser | Macromia transversa | 163 | 27 | 3 | May |
| Black-shouldered Spinyleg | Dromogomphus spinosus | 763 | 6 | 3 | Jun-Jul |
| Northern Bluet | Enallagma annexum | 82 | 6 | 2 | Jun |
| Band-winged Dragonlet | Erythrodiplax umbrata | 16 | 4 | 2 | Jun-Aug |
| Cobra Clubtail | Gomphurus vastus | 486 | 53 | 1 | Jun |
| Seepage Dancer | Argia bipunctulata | 1,464 | 44 | 1 | Jun-Jul |
| Laura's Clubtail | Stylurus laurae | 52 | 13 | 1 | late Jul-early Sep |
| Frosted Whiteface | Leucorrhinia frigida | 29 | 11 | 1 | early Jun |
| American Emerald | Cordulia shurtleffii | 14 | 5 | 1 | May |
| Smoky Rubyspot | Hetaerina titia | 421 | 4 | 1 | early Sep |
| Gilded River Cruiser | Macromia pacifica | 92 | 2 | 1 | late Jul |
| Northern Pygmy Clubtail | Lanthus parvulus | 7 | 2 | 1 | Jun |
| Rusty Snaketail | Ophiogomphus rupinsulensis | 428 | 1 | 1 | Jun |
| Handsome Clubtail | Gomphurus crassus | 226 | 1 | 1 | late May-early Jun |
| Wabash River Cruiser | Macromia wabashensis | 25 | 1 | 1 | Aug |
| River Bluet | Enallagma anna | 21 | 1 | 1 | Jun |
| Pronghorn Clubtail | Phanogomphus graslinellus | 566 | 0 | 0 | late May-early Jun |
| Riffle Snaketail | Ophiogomphus carolus | 64 | 0 | 0 | mid Jun |
| Canada Darner | Aeshna canadensis | 41 | 0 | 0 | Sep |
| Northern Spreadwing | Lestes disjunctus | 24 | 0 | 0 | Jun-Aug |
| Cherry-faced Meadowhawk | Sympetrum internum | 14 | 0 | 0 | Sep |
| Taiga Bluet | Coenagrion resolutum | 4 | 0 | 0 | |
| Taper-tailed Darner | Gomphaeschna antilope | 3 | 0 | 0 | Jun |
Summit County is located in the Glaciated Allegheny Plateau ecoregion. The SW 1/3 of the county is in the Ohio River Watershed, and the northern 2/3 of the county are within the Lake Erie Watershed (See p. 12 in Ohio Coastal Atlas: Chapter 2 for a detailed watershed map).
Places to Visit
Tuscarawas River Water Trail guide from ODNR. Map showing river access points, towpath trail, parks, and facilities.
Cuyahoga River Water Trail Map 3 and Map 4 show river access points, trails, 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