Forktails

Ischnura (family Coenagrionidae) is a relatively small damselfly genera with 6 species. Two of these (Eastern Forktail and Fragile Forktail) are near the top of most observed in Ohio, while two others (Furtive Forktail and Rambur's Forktail) are among our least observed. Lilypad Forktail is a state-listed species, rare in the past, but now common enough to down-listed from Endangered to Species of Concern. Citrine Forktails have dynamic annual population, dependent on spring storm fronts for early numbers and seed populations for the season.

Eastern Forktails are the most common species of this family in Ohio. The males have a connected thoracic stripe and segments S8 and S9 are blue.