Washington County
Known species: 76
Total Observations: 1,980
Population: 61,310
Area in Square Miles: 632
People per Square Mile: 96
Observations per Square Mile: 3.1
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 | Washington Total | Ohio Total | Washington 2023 | Last Sighted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern Pondhawk | Erythemis simplicicollis | 119 | 13,870 | 6 | 2023 |
| Common Whitetail | Plathemis lydia | 101 | 9,898 | 11 | 2023 |
| Blue-fronted Dancer | Argia apicalis | 97 | 5,692 | 5 | 2023 |
| Fragile Forktail | Ischnura posita | 95 | 10,727 | 11 | 2023 |
| Blue Dasher | Pachydiplax longipennis | 95 | 13,169 | 6 | 2023 |
| Eastern Amberwing | Perithemis tenera | 94 | 8,819 | 4 | 2023 |
| Familiar Bluet | Enallagma civile | 81 | 5,111 | 3 | 2023 |
| Stream Bluet | Enallagma exsulans | 78 | 4,097 | 12 | 2023 |
| American Rubyspot | Hetaerina americana | 76 | 3,761 | 0 | 2021 |
| Orange Bluet | Enallagma signatum | 70 | 3,184 | 6 | 2023 |
| Widow Skimmer | Libellula luctuosa | 65 | 10,352 | 3 | 2023 |
| Violet Dancer | Argia fumipennis violacea | 62 | 6,247 | 11 | 2023 |
| Ebony Jewelwing | Calopteryx maculata | 61 | 7,169 | 7 | 2023 |
| Swift River Cruiser | Macromia illinoiensis | 57 | 688 | 3 | 2023 |
| Eastern Forktail | Ischnura verticalis | 55 | 13,326 | 2 | 2023 |
| Powdered Dancer | Argia moesta | 51 | 4,247 | 1 | 2023 |
| Prince Baskettail | Epitheca princeps | 50 | 2,390 | 9 | 2023 |
| Black-shouldered Spinyleg | Dromogomphus spinosus | 48 | 542 | 0 | 2022 |
| Blue-tipped Dancer | Argia tibialis | 47 | 3,785 | 11 | 2023 |
| Dusky Dancer | Argia translata | 44 | 1,376 | 0 | 2021 |
| Autumn Meadowhawk | Sympetrum vicinum | 34 | 6,971 | 0 | 2020 |
| Smoky Rubyspot | Hetaerina titia | 34 | 346 | 0 | 2021 |
| Double-striped Bluet | Enallagma basidens | 31 | 4,313 | 1 | 2023 |
| Common Green Darner | Anax junius | 31 | 4,146 | 1 | 2023 |
| Unicorn Clubtail | Arigomphus villosipes | 30 | 1,687 | 11 | 2023 |
| Fawn Darner | Boyeria vinosa | 30 | 440 | 0 | 2020 |
| Skimming Bluet | Enallagma geminatum | 29 | 3,109 | 2 | 2023 |
| Slaty Skimmer | Libellula incesta | 27 | 4,032 | 1 | 2023 |
| Black Saddlebags | Tramea lacerata | 25 | 2,839 | 1 | 2023 |
| Blue-ringed Dancer | Argia sedula | 19 | 2,364 | 0 | 2020 |
| Common Baskettail | Epitheca cynosura | 17 | 748 | 0 | 2019 |
| Dragonhunter | Hagenius brevistylus | 16 | 439 | 0 | 2018 |
| Westfall's Slender Bluet | Enallagma traviatum westfalli | 14 | 1,991 | 0 | 2022 |
| Lancet Clubtail | Phanogomphus exilis | 13 | 1,518 | 6 | 2023 |
| Spangled Skimmer | Libellula cyanea | 13 | 1,037 | 3 | 2023 |
| Midland Clubtail | Gomphurus fraternus | 12 | 802 | 4 | 2023 |
| Twelve-spotted Skimmer | Libellula pulchella | 12 | 3,377 | 0 | 2021 |
| Wandering Glider | Pantala flavescens | 12 | 1,241 | 0 | 2020 |
| Ashy Clubtail | Phanogomphus lividus | 9 | 874 | 3 | 2023 |
| Halloween Pennant | Celithemis eponina | 8 | 3,628 | 1 | 2023 |
| Springtime Darner | Basiaeschna janata | 7 | 298 | 1 | 2023 |
| Rapids Clubtail | Phanogomphus quadricolor | 6 | 287 | 3 | 2023 |
| Shadow Darner | Aeshna umbrosa | 6 | 1,031 | 0 | 2019 |
| Citrine Forktail | Ischnura hastata | 6 | 899 | 0 | 2020 |
| Arrow Clubtail | Stylurus spiniceps | 6 | 305 | 0 | 2022 |
| Common Sanddragon | Progomphus obscurus | 6 | 141 | 0 | 2022 |
| Carolina Saddlebags | Tramea carolina | 5 | 1,048 | 3 | 2023 |
| Turquoise Bluet | Enallagma divagans | 5 | 768 | 2 | 2023 |
| Stream Cruiser | Didymops transversa | 5 | 121 | 2 | 2023 |
| Royal River Cruiser | Macromia taeniolata | 5 | 536 | 0 | 2018 |
| Spot-winged Glider | Pantala hymenaea | 4 | 478 | 2 | 2023 |
| Azure Bluet | Enallagma aspersum | 4 | 2,115 | 0 | 2019 |
| Vesper Bluet | Enallagma vesperum | 4 | 740 | 0 | 2018 |
| Slender Spreadwing | Lestes rectangularis | 3 | 3,492 | 0 | 1994 |
| Calico Pennant | Celithemis elisa | 3 | 2,752 | 0 | 2018 |
| Ruby Meadowhawk | Sympetrum rubicundulum | 3 | 942 | 0 | 1994 |
| Banded Pennant | Celithemis fasciata | 3 | 684 | 0 | 2017 |
| Cobra Clubtail | Gomphurus vastus | 3 | 377 | 0 | 2018 |
| Russet-tipped Clubtail | Stylurus plagiatus | 3 | 307 | 0 | 2018 |
| Eastern Least Clubtail | Stylogomphus albistylus | 3 | 262 | 0 | 1991 |
| Smoky Shadowdragon | Neurocordulia molesta | 3 | 18 | 0 | 1995 |
| Elegant Spreadwing | Lestes inaequalis | 2 | 479 | 0 | 2017 |
| Blue Corporal | Ladona deplanata | 2 | 446 | 0 | 2004 |
| Southern Spreadwing | Lestes australis | 2 | 255 | 0 | 2020 |
| Elusive Clubtail | Stylurus notatus | 2 | 101 | 0 | 2005 |
| Twin-spotted Spiketail | Cordulegaster maculata | 2 | 90 | 0 | 1995 |
| Green-faced Clubtail | Hylogomphus viridifrons | 2 | 59 | 0 | 2011 |
| Uhler's Sundragon | Helocordulia uhleri | 2 | 55 | 0 | 2004 |
| Variegated Meadowhawk | Sympetrum corruptum | 1 | 117 | 1 | 2023 |
| Band-winged Meadowhawk | Sympetrum semicinctum | 1 | 860 | 0 | 2002 |
| Great Spreadwing | Archilestes grandis | 1 | 824 | 0 | 1994 |
| Green-striped Darner | Aeshna verticalis | 1 | 262 | 0 | 1994 |
| Arrowhead Spiketail | Cordulegaster obliqua | 1 | 172 | 0 | 2015 |
| Stygian Shadowdragon | Neurocordulia yamaskanensis | 1 | 68 | 0 | 1996 |
| Allegheny River Cruiser | Macromia alleghaniensis | 1 | 16 | 0 | 2003 |
| Umber Shadowdragon | Neurocordulia obsoleta | 1 | 6 | 0 | 1988 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dot-tailed Whiteface | Leucorrhinia intacta | 1,357 | 9 | 3 | early Jun |
| Lilypad Forktail | Ischnura kellicotti | 733 | 34 | 2 | Jun-Sep |
| Eastern Red Damsel | Amphiagrion saucium | 1,230 | 9 | 2 | late May-early Jun |
| Swamp Spreadwing | Lestes vigilax | 544 | 7 | 2 | Jul |
| Blue-faced Meadowhawk | Sympetrum ambiguum | 1,204 | 5 | 2 | late Aug-mid Sep |
| Flag-tailed Spinyleg | Dromogomphus spoliatus | 743 | 4 | 2 | late Jul |
| Aurora Damsel | Chromagrion conditum | 471 | 3 | 2 | late May-early Jun |
| Swift Setwing | Dythemis velox | 340 | 3 | 2 | Jul-Aug |
| Mocha Emerald | Somatochlora linearis | 192 | 2 | 2 | late Jun-late Aug |
| Painted Skimmer | Libellula semifasciata | 1,056 | 2 | 1 | May |
| Comet Darner | Anax longipes | 515 | 2 | 1 | mid Jun-mid Jul |
| Great Blue Skimmer | Libellula vibrans | 467 | 2 | 1 | Jun-Jul |
| Swamp Darner | Epiaeschna heros | 620 | 1 | 1 | late May-early Jun |
| Gray Petaltail | Tachopteryx thoreyi | 390 | 1 | 1 | Jun |
| Sphagnum Sprite | Nehalennia gracilis | 370 | 1 | 1 | late Jun-early Jul |
| White-faced Meadowhawk | Sympetrum obtrusum | 272 | 1 | 1 | Sep |
| Tiger Spiketail | Cordulegaster erronea | 106 | 1 | 1 | Jul |
| Emerald Spreadwing | Lestes dryas | 479 | 0 | 1 | Jun |
| Amber-winged Spreadwing | Lestes eurinus | 610 | 0 | 0 | Jun-Jul |
| Rainbow Bluet | Enallagma antennatum | 458 | 0 | 0 | Jun |
| Lance-tipped Darner | Aeshna constricta | 358 | 0 | 0 | Sep |
| Clamp-tipped Emerald | Somatochlora tenebrosa | 208 | 0 | 0 | Aug |
| Black-tipped Darner | Aeshna tuberculifera | 141 | 0 | 0 | late Aug-early Sep |
| 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 |
| Northern Spreadwing | Lestes disjunctus | 24 | 0 | 0 | Jun-Aug |
| Northern Pygmy Clubtail | Lanthus parvulus | 7 | 0 | 0 | Jun |
| Incurvate Emerald | Somatochlora incurvata | 1 | 0 | 0 | Jul |
Washington County borders the Ohio River and lies in the Unglaciated Allegheny Plateau ecoregion. Marietta was built at the mouth of the Muskingum on the Ohio River. The Little Muskingum River flows across much of the county from east to west, paralleling the Ohio River.
Places to visit
The Muskingum River can be accessed at Luke Chute, Beverly, Lowell and Devola (see Muskingum River Water Trail guide and Muskingum River State Park from ODNR for access points and facilities).
The forest provides extensive access to the Little Muskingum River
Kroger Wetlands includes several ponds (depth varies with rainfall and the season). This 20 acre area is located in the city of Marietta, immediately next to Interstate 77. The entrance to the park, on Acme Street just north of the Kroger, is signed. 6 species have been identified here, including Southern Spreadwing
Buckeye Park on Ingleside Avenue, Marietta. 24 species have been observed here, including Variegated Meadowhawk and Citrine Forktail.
Veto Lake Wildlife Area 32 species have been identified here. Pit toilets and picnic tables.
Field Trip Guide from 2016 OOS conference
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