Van Wert County
Known species: 56
Total Observations: 832
Population: 28,459
Area in Square Miles: 409
People per Square Mile: 69
Observations per Square Mile: 2.0
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 | Van Wert Total | Ohio Total | Van Wert 2023 | Last Sighted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern Forktail | Ischnura verticalis | 70 | 13,326 | 11 | 2023 |
| Widow Skimmer | Libellula luctuosa | 68 | 10,352 | 16 | 2023 |
| Familiar Bluet | Enallagma civile | 65 | 5,111 | 10 | 2023 |
| Blue-fronted Dancer | Argia apicalis | 64 | 5,692 | 15 | 2023 |
| Common Whitetail | Plathemis lydia | 56 | 9,898 | 13 | 2023 |
| Eastern Pondhawk | Erythemis simplicicollis | 52 | 13,870 | 9 | 2023 |
| Eastern Amberwing | Perithemis tenera | 49 | 8,819 | 7 | 2023 |
| Double-striped Bluet | Enallagma basidens | 34 | 4,313 | 7 | 2023 |
| Blue-tipped Dancer | Argia tibialis | 33 | 3,785 | 12 | 2023 |
| Twelve-spotted Skimmer | Libellula pulchella | 32 | 3,377 | 5 | 2023 |
| Blue Dasher | Pachydiplax longipennis | 26 | 13,169 | 1 | 2023 |
| Violet Dancer | Argia fumipennis violacea | 24 | 6,247 | 9 | 2023 |
| Dusky Dancer | Argia translata | 21 | 1,376 | 0 | 2021 |
| Fragile Forktail | Ischnura posita | 19 | 10,727 | 6 | 2023 |
| Halloween Pennant | Celithemis eponina | 16 | 3,628 | 1 | 2023 |
| Spot-winged Glider | Pantala hymenaea | 14 | 478 | 3 | 2023 |
| Stream Bluet | Enallagma exsulans | 13 | 4,097 | 1 | 2023 |
| Blue-faced Meadowhawk | Sympetrum ambiguum | 12 | 1,204 | 12 | 2023 |
| Prince Baskettail | Epitheca princeps | 12 | 2,390 | 3 | 2023 |
| Unicorn Clubtail | Arigomphus villosipes | 12 | 1,687 | 3 | 2023 |
| Black Saddlebags | Tramea lacerata | 12 | 2,839 | 1 | 2023 |
| Common Green Darner | Anax junius | 11 | 4,146 | 2 | 2023 |
| Wandering Glider | Pantala flavescens | 11 | 1,241 | 2 | 2023 |
| Slender Spreadwing | Lestes rectangularis | 10 | 3,492 | 3 | 2023 |
| Orange Bluet | Enallagma signatum | 9 | 3,184 | 1 | 2023 |
| Blue-ringed Dancer | Argia sedula | 8 | 2,364 | 1 | 2023 |
| Calico Pennant | Celithemis elisa | 7 | 2,752 | 0 | 2022 |
| Autumn Meadowhawk | Sympetrum vicinum | 5 | 6,971 | 3 | 2023 |
| Flag-tailed Spinyleg | Dromogomphus spoliatus | 5 | 743 | 2 | 2023 |
| Rainbow Bluet | Enallagma antennatum | 5 | 458 | 1 | 2023 |
| Ebony Jewelwing | Calopteryx maculata | 4 | 7,169 | 0 | 2022 |
| Band-winged Meadowhawk | Sympetrum semicinctum | 4 | 860 | 0 | 2017 |
| Jade Clubtail | Arigomphus submedianus | 3 | 106 | 3 | 2023 |
| Skimming Bluet | Enallagma geminatum | 3 | 3,109 | 2 | 2023 |
| Royal River Cruiser | Macromia taeniolata | 3 | 536 | 2 | 2023 |
| Red Saddlebags | Tramea onusta | 3 | 145 | 1 | 2023 |
| Powdered Dancer | Argia moesta | 3 | 4,247 | 0 | 2019 |
| Pronghorn Clubtail | Phanogomphus graslinellus | 3 | 451 | 0 | 1999 |
| Spotted Spreadwing | Lestes congener | 2 | 731 | 2 | 2023 |
| Slaty Skimmer | Libellula incesta | 2 | 4,032 | 0 | 2022 |
| American Rubyspot | Hetaerina americana | 2 | 3,761 | 0 | 2018 |
| Carolina Saddlebags | Tramea carolina | 2 | 1,048 | 0 | 2022 |
| Citrine Forktail | Ischnura hastata | 2 | 899 | 0 | 2017 |
| Lyre-tipped Spreadwing | Lestes unguiculatus | 2 | 180 | 0 | 1963 |
| Shadow Darner | Aeshna umbrosa | 1 | 1,031 | 1 | 2023 |
| Great Spreadwing | Archilestes grandis | 1 | 824 | 1 | 2023 |
| Emerald Spreadwing | Lestes dryas | 1 | 479 | 1 | 2023 |
| Azure Bluet | Enallagma aspersum | 1 | 2,115 | 0 | 2021 |
| Painted Skimmer | Libellula semifasciata | 1 | 1,056 | 0 | 1944 |
| Ruby Meadowhawk | Sympetrum rubicundulum | 1 | 942 | 0 | 1944 |
| Black-shouldered Spinyleg | Dromogomphus spinosus | 1 | 542 | 0 | 1984 |
| Sweetflag Spreadwing | Lestes forcipatus | 1 | 443 | 0 | 1960 |
| Fawn Darner | Boyeria vinosa | 1 | 440 | 0 | 1988 |
| Cyrano Darner | Nasiaeschna pentacantha | 1 | 277 | 0 | 1984 |
| Mocha Emerald | Somatochlora linearis | 1 | 192 | 0 | 1960 |
| Plains Emerald | Somatochlora ensigera | 1 | 18 | 0 | 1961 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Westfall's Slender Bluet | Enallagma traviatum westfalli | 1,991 | 19 | 5 | mid Jun-mid Jul |
| Common Baskettail | Epitheca cynosura | 748 | 8 | 3 | late May-early Jun |
| Vesper Bluet | Enallagma vesperum | 740 | 5 | 3 | Jun |
| Midland Clubtail | Gomphurus fraternus | 802 | 4 | 3 | late May-mid Jun |
| Turquoise Bluet | Enallagma divagans | 768 | 4 | 3 | May-Jun |
| Comet Darner | Anax longipes | 515 | 3 | 3 | mid Jun-mid Jul |
| Great Blue Skimmer | Libellula vibrans | 467 | 9 | 2 | Jun-Jul |
| Swamp Darner | Epiaeschna heros | 620 | 5 | 2 | late May-early Jun |
| Swift River Cruiser | Macromia illinoiensis | 688 | 4 | 2 | Jul-Aug |
| Dot-tailed Whiteface | Leucorrhinia intacta | 1,357 | 4 | 1 | early Jun |
| Amber-winged Spreadwing | Lestes eurinus | 610 | 3 | 1 | Jun-Jul |
| Swamp Spreadwing | Lestes vigilax | 544 | 3 | 1 | Jul |
| Macromia Hybrid | Macromia pacifica x taeniolata | 90 | 2 | 1 | late Jul-mid Aug |
| Lancet Clubtail | Phanogomphus exilis | 1,518 | 1 | 1 | early Jun |
| Spangled Skimmer | Libellula cyanea | 1,037 | 1 | 1 | Jun |
| Elegant Spreadwing | Lestes inaequalis | 479 | 1 | 1 | Jun |
| Spatterdock Darner | Rhionaeschna mutata | 335 | 1 | 1 | Jun |
| Four-spotted Skimmer | Libellula quadrimaculata | 285 | 1 | 1 | Jun |
| Northern Spreadwing | Lestes disjunctus | 24 | 1 | 1 | Jun-Aug |
| Ashy Clubtail | Phanogomphus lividus | 874 | 0 | 0 | late May-early Jun |
| Tule Bluet | Enallagma carunculatum | 498 | 0 | 0 | Jun-Jul |
| Aurora Damsel | Chromagrion conditum | 471 | 0 | 0 | late May-early Jun |
| Dragonhunter | Hagenius brevistylus | 439 | 0 | 0 | mid Jun |
| Cobra Clubtail | Gomphurus vastus | 377 | 0 | 0 | Jun |
| Sedge Sprite | Nehalennia irene | 359 | 0 | 0 | Jun |
| Lance-tipped Darner | Aeshna constricta | 358 | 0 | 0 | Sep |
| Smoky Rubyspot | Hetaerina titia | 346 | 0 | 0 | early Sep |
| Russet-tipped Clubtail | Stylurus plagiatus | 307 | 0 | 0 | Sep |
| Arrow Clubtail | Stylurus spiniceps | 305 | 0 | 0 | late Aug-early Sep |
| White-faced Meadowhawk | Sympetrum obtrusum | 272 | 0 | 0 | Sep |
| Green-striped Darner | Aeshna verticalis | 262 | 0 | 0 | Sep |
| Southern Spreadwing | Lestes australis | 255 | 0 | 0 | May |
| Plains Clubtail | Gomphurus externus | 189 | 0 | 0 | mid Jun-mid Jul |
| Eastern Ringtail | Erpetogomphus designatus | 150 | 0 | 0 | Aug |
| Common Sanddragon | Progomphus obscurus | 141 | 0 | 0 | late Jun-mid Jul |
| Variegated Meadowhawk | Sympetrum corruptum | 117 | 0 | 0 | Apr-Sep |
| Hagen's Bluet | Enallagma hageni | 84 | 0 | 0 | Jun |
| Gilded River Cruiser | Macromia pacifica | 73 | 0 | 0 | late Jul |
| Marsh Bluet | Enallagma ebrium | 66 | 0 | 0 | mid Jun |
| Wabash River Cruiser | Macromia wabashensis | 25 | 0 | 0 | Aug |
| Saffron-winged Meadowhawk | Sympetrum costiferum | 20 | 0 | 0 | Oct |
| Riverine Clubtail | Stylurus amnicola | 15 | 0 | 0 | Aug |
| Cherry-faced Meadowhawk | Sympetrum internum | 14 | 0 | 0 | Sep |
| Taiga Bluet | Coenagrion resolutum | 4 | 0 | 0 | |
| Georgia River Cruiser | Macromia illinoiensis georgina | 3 | 0 | 0 |
Van Wert County is on the western border of Ohio. The northern part of the county lies within the Maumee Lake Plains area of the Huron-Erie Lake Plains ecoregion, which was the location of the now mostly-drained and channelized Black Swamp. The southern part of the county is in the Till Plains ecoregion. See p. 11 in Ohio Coastal Atlas: Chapter 2 for a detailed watershed map. Mostly flat, with deep ditches and farm fields, finding Van Wert Co Odonata is a challenge.
Places to Visit
Hiestand Park and Nature Preserve
Heistand is on the west side of Town Creek and north of the Van Wert Reservoirs. Also close is water treatment. The park has parking and restrooms. There is a walk throught the woods to the water treament area. 31 species recorded.
Willshire Village Park
Willshire is an old quarry. There is also a wetland to the northeast and the St Marys River is across the road to the west. The park has parking and some trails. No restrooms. This site has good diversity, including River Cruisers and Pond Clubtails. 30 species.
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 February 2024