Union County
Known species: 74
Total Observations: 1,022
Population: 92,672
Area in Square Miles: 568
People per Square Mile: 162
Observations per Square Mile: 1.8
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 | Union Total | Ohio Total | Union 2023 | Last Sighted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Dasher | Pachydiplax longipennis | 123 | 13,169 | 22 | 2023 |
| Eastern Forktail | Ischnura verticalis | 115 | 13,326 | 41 | 2023 |
| Familiar Bluet | Enallagma civile | 99 | 5,111 | 57 | 2023 |
| Eastern Amberwing | Perithemis tenera | 86 | 8,819 | 23 | 2023 |
| Slender Spreadwing | Lestes rectangularis | 70 | 3,492 | 6 | 2023 |
| Common Green Darner | Anax junius | 66 | 4,146 | 22 | 2023 |
| Widow Skimmer | Libellula luctuosa | 60 | 10,352 | 15 | 2023 |
| Blue-tipped Dancer | Argia tibialis | 60 | 3,785 | 1 | 2023 |
| Common Whitetail | Plathemis lydia | 57 | 9,898 | 24 | 2023 |
| Eastern Pondhawk | Erythemis simplicicollis | 57 | 13,870 | 23 | 2023 |
| Fragile Forktail | Ischnura posita | 48 | 10,727 | 11 | 2023 |
| Twelve-spotted Skimmer | Libellula pulchella | 42 | 3,377 | 3 | 2023 |
| Carolina Saddlebags | Tramea carolina | 42 | 1,048 | 3 | 2023 |
| Black Saddlebags | Tramea lacerata | 37 | 2,839 | 11 | 2023 |
| Double-striped Bluet | Enallagma basidens | 36 | 4,313 | 13 | 2023 |
| Orange Bluet | Enallagma signatum | 33 | 3,184 | 20 | 2023 |
| Azure Bluet | Enallagma aspersum | 32 | 2,115 | 22 | 2023 |
| Ebony Jewelwing | Calopteryx maculata | 31 | 7,169 | 4 | 2023 |
| Stream Bluet | Enallagma exsulans | 28 | 4,097 | 7 | 2023 |
| Skimming Bluet | Enallagma geminatum | 25 | 3,109 | 18 | 2023 |
| Westfall's Slender Bluet | Enallagma traviatum westfalli | 24 | 1,991 | 19 | 2023 |
| Powdered Dancer | Argia moesta | 21 | 4,247 | 6 | 2023 |
| Dot-tailed Whiteface | Leucorrhinia intacta | 20 | 1,357 | 13 | 2023 |
| Blue-fronted Dancer | Argia apicalis | 20 | 5,692 | 1 | 2023 |
| Fawn Darner | Boyeria vinosa | 20 | 440 | 0 | 1993 |
| Autumn Meadowhawk | Sympetrum vicinum | 17 | 6,971 | 6 | 2023 |
| Painted Skimmer | Libellula semifasciata | 17 | 1,056 | 0 | 2022 |
| Blue-ringed Dancer | Argia sedula | 16 | 2,364 | 2 | 2023 |
| Halloween Pennant | Celithemis eponina | 14 | 3,628 | 7 | 2023 |
| Prince Baskettail | Epitheca princeps | 12 | 2,390 | 4 | 2023 |
| Wandering Glider | Pantala flavescens | 11 | 1,241 | 3 | 2023 |
| Violet Dancer | Argia fumipennis violacea | 9 | 6,247 | 3 | 2023 |
| Calico Pennant | Celithemis elisa | 7 | 2,752 | 2 | 2023 |
| American Rubyspot | Hetaerina americana | 7 | 3,761 | 1 | 2023 |
| Dusky Dancer | Argia translata | 6 | 1,376 | 4 | 2023 |
| Ashy Clubtail | Phanogomphus lividus | 6 | 874 | 4 | 2023 |
| Vesper Bluet | Enallagma vesperum | 6 | 740 | 4 | 2023 |
| Great Spreadwing | Archilestes grandis | 6 | 824 | 0 | 2022 |
| Cyrano Darner | Nasiaeschna pentacantha | 6 | 277 | 0 | 2018 |
| Spot-winged Glider | Pantala hymenaea | 5 | 478 | 5 | 2023 |
| Shadow Darner | Aeshna umbrosa | 4 | 1,031 | 1 | 2023 |
| Citrine Forktail | Ischnura hastata | 4 | 899 | 0 | 2022 |
| Rainbow Bluet | Enallagma antennatum | 4 | 458 | 0 | 1992 |
| Southern Spreadwing | Lestes australis | 4 | 255 | 0 | 2019 |
| Lancet Clubtail | Phanogomphus exilis | 3 | 1,518 | 2 | 2023 |
| Slaty Skimmer | Libellula incesta | 3 | 4,032 | 0 | 2021 |
| Gilded River Cruiser | Macromia pacifica | 3 | 73 | 0 | 2018 |
| Unicorn Clubtail | Arigomphus villosipes | 2 | 1,687 | 2 | 2023 |
| Elegant Spreadwing | Lestes inaequalis | 2 | 479 | 2 | 2023 |
| Red Saddlebags | Tramea onusta | 2 | 145 | 1 | 2023 |
| Ruby Meadowhawk | Sympetrum rubicundulum | 2 | 942 | 0 | 1997 |
| Black-shouldered Spinyleg | Dromogomphus spinosus | 2 | 542 | 0 | 1990 |
| Emerald Spreadwing | Lestes dryas | 2 | 479 | 0 | 2019 |
| Common Baskettail | Epitheca cynosura | 1 | 748 | 1 | 2023 |
| Swamp Spreadwing | Lestes vigilax | 1 | 544 | 1 | 2023 |
| Blue-faced Meadowhawk | Sympetrum ambiguum | 1 | 1,204 | 0 | 2015 |
| Flag-tailed Spinyleg | Dromogomphus spoliatus | 1 | 743 | 0 | 1993 |
| Royal River Cruiser | Macromia taeniolata | 1 | 536 | 0 | 1991 |
| Pronghorn Clubtail | Phanogomphus graslinellus | 1 | 451 | 0 | 1932 |
| Marsh Bluet | Enallagma ebrium | 1 | 66 | 0 | 1960 |
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 Darner | Epiaeschna heros | 620 | 90 | 7 | late May-early Jun |
| Sweetflag Spreadwing | Lestes forcipatus | 443 | 20 | 7 | Jul-Aug |
| Turquoise Bluet | Enallagma divagans | 768 | 47 | 6 | May-Jun |
| Comet Darner | Anax longipes | 515 | 36 | 6 | mid Jun-mid Jul |
| Great Blue Skimmer | Libellula vibrans | 467 | 78 | 5 | Jun-Jul |
| Dragonhunter | Hagenius brevistylus | 439 | 50 | 5 | mid Jun |
| Swift River Cruiser | Macromia illinoiensis | 688 | 45 | 5 | Jul-Aug |
| Eastern Red Damsel | Amphiagrion saucium | 1,230 | 429 | 4 | late May-early Jun |
| Spotted Spreadwing | Lestes congener | 731 | 84 | 4 | late Aug-late Sep |
| Spatterdock Darner | Rhionaeschna mutata | 335 | 46 | 4 | Jun |
| Macromia Hybrid | Macromia pacifica x taeniolata | 90 | 8 | 4 | late Jul-mid Aug |
| Arrowhead Spiketail | Cordulegaster obliqua | 172 | 6 | 4 | late May-early Jun |
| Spangled Skimmer | Libellula cyanea | 1,037 | 5 | 4 | Jun |
| Swift Setwing | Dythemis velox | 340 | 225 | 3 | Jul-Aug |
| Band-winged Meadowhawk | Sympetrum semicinctum | 860 | 97 | 3 | Jul-Aug |
| Midland Clubtail | Gomphurus fraternus | 802 | 30 | 3 | late May-mid Jun |
| Springtime Darner | Basiaeschna janata | 298 | 22 | 3 | May |
| Four-spotted Skimmer | Libellula quadrimaculata | 285 | 20 | 3 | Jun |
| Variegated Meadowhawk | Sympetrum corruptum | 117 | 5 | 3 | Apr-Sep |
| Blue Corporal | Ladona deplanata | 446 | 4 | 3 | May |
| Lilypad Forktail | Ischnura kellicotti | 733 | 184 | 2 | Jun-Sep |
| Rusty Snaketail | Ophiogomphus rupinsulensis | 245 | 124 | 2 | Jun |
| Brown Spiketail | Cordulegaster bilineata | 216 | 105 | 2 | late May-early Jun |
| Rapids Clubtail | Phanogomphus quadricolor | 287 | 73 | 2 | Jun |
| Gray Petaltail | Tachopteryx thoreyi | 390 | 66 | 2 | Jun |
| Clamp-tipped Emerald | Somatochlora tenebrosa | 208 | 53 | 2 | Aug |
| Amber-winged Spreadwing | Lestes eurinus | 610 | 39 | 2 | Jun-Jul |
| Arrow Clubtail | Stylurus spiniceps | 305 | 16 | 2 | late Aug-early Sep |
| White-faced Meadowhawk | Sympetrum obtrusum | 272 | 8 | 2 | Sep |
| Banded Pennant | Celithemis fasciata | 684 | 7 | 2 | Jul |
| Mocha Emerald | Somatochlora linearis | 192 | 7 | 2 | late Jun-late Aug |
| Russet-tipped Clubtail | Stylurus plagiatus | 307 | 5 | 2 | Sep |
| Green-striped Darner | Aeshna verticalis | 262 | 2 | 2 | Sep |
| Northern Spreadwing | Lestes disjunctus | 24 | 2 | 2 | Jun-Aug |
| Seepage Dancer | Argia bipunctulata | 1,028 | 802 | 1 | Jun-Jul |
| Elfin Skimmer | Nannothemis bella | 485 | 419 | 1 | Jun-Jul |
| Tule Bluet | Enallagma carunculatum | 498 | 206 | 1 | Jun-Jul |
| Paiute Dancer | Argia alberta | 347 | 129 | 1 | Jun |
| Handsome Clubtail | Gomphurus crassus | 170 | 52 | 1 | late May-early Jun |
| Sphagnum Sprite | Nehalennia gracilis | 370 | 46 | 1 | late Jun-early Jul |
| Splendid Clubtail | Gomphurus lineatifrons | 95 | 14 | 1 | Jun |
| Tiger Spiketail | Cordulegaster erronea | 106 | 9 | 1 | Jul |
| Cobra Clubtail | Gomphurus vastus | 377 | 2 | 1 | Jun |
| Sedge Sprite | Nehalennia irene | 359 | 2 | 1 | Jun |
| Lance-tipped Darner | Aeshna constricta | 358 | 2 | 1 | Sep |
| Eastern Least Clubtail | Stylogomphus albistylus | 262 | 2 | 1 | Jun |
| Stygian Shadowdragon | Neurocordulia yamaskanensis | 68 | 2 | 1 | late Jun |
| Lyre-tipped Spreadwing | Lestes unguiculatus | 180 | 1 | 1 | Jun-Jul |
| Eastern Ringtail | Erpetogomphus designatus | 150 | 1 | 1 | Aug |
| Golden-winged Skimmer | Libellula auripennis | 44 | 1 | 1 | late Jun |
| Wabash River Cruiser | Macromia wabashensis | 25 | 1 | 1 | Aug |
| Band-winged Dragonlet | Erythrodiplax umbrata | 16 | 1 | 1 | Jun-Aug |
| Rambur's Forktail | Ischnura ramburii | 15 | 1 | 1 | Jul |
| Furtive Forktail | Ischnura prognata | 5 | 1 | 1 | |
| Aurora Damsel | Chromagrion conditum | 471 | 0 | 0 | late May-early Jun |
| Dusky Clubtail | Phanogomphus spicatus | 191 | 0 | 0 | early Jun |
| Stream Cruiser | Didymops transversa | 121 | 0 | 0 | May |
| Hagen's Bluet | Enallagma hageni | 84 | 0 | 0 | Jun |
| River Jewelwing | Calopteryx aequabilis | 77 | 0 | 0 | early Jun |
| Green-faced Clubtail | Hylogomphus viridifrons | 59 | 0 | 0 | mid Jun |
| Boreal Bluet | Enallagma boreale | 44 | 0 | 0 | Jun |
| Skillet Clubtail | Gomphurus ventricosus | 26 | 0 | 0 | Jun |
| Hine's Emerald | Somatochlora hineana | 24 | 0 | 0 | Jun |
| Saffron-winged Meadowhawk | Sympetrum costiferum | 20 | 0 | 0 | Oct |
| Smoky Shadowdragon | Neurocordulia molesta | 18 | 0 | 0 | Jun |
| Allegheny River Cruiser | Macromia alleghaniensis | 16 | 0 | 0 | Jul |
| Taper-tailed Darner | Gomphaeschna antilope | 3 | 0 | 0 | Jun |
| Atlantic Bluet | Enallagma doubledayi | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Union County is in the Till Plains ecoregion.
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 18 January 2024