Dragonf ly & Damself ly

Checklist

This odonata checklist includes historical records for Lucas County, Ohio

as well as documented sightings.

5100 West Central Ave. Toledo, Ohio 43615 MetroparksToledo.com

2000 07/17

There are over 160 dragonfly and damselfly species found in Ohio. The Oak Openings is a premier location for finding many of these fascinating and beautiful insects. Dragonfly and damselfly larvae are completely aquatic; therefore, these animals are excellent indicators of water quality. The adults are often brilliantly colored, and they are fun to observe as they engage in acrobatic maneuvers while hunt-ing. Their ability to fly in any direction, swiftly change direction, and fly at lightning speed (the fastest have been clocked at 60 miles per hour) makes them one of nature’s most amazing flying machines. These insects are carnivorous and voracious predators. Their prey is hunted on the wing (in mid-air) and can range from small flies and mosquitoes to other dragonflies. One key feature for differentiating dragonflies and damselflies is the spacing of their eyes. While damselflies have eyes spaced widely apart, eyes on dragonflies touch or are only slightly separated. Also, when perching, dragonflies hold their wings straight out to the sides. Most damselflies, with the exception of the spreadwings, press their wings together over their backs.

Photos by Rick Nirschl

Cover photo: Blue-faced Meadowhawk (Sympetrum ambiguum)

BROAD-WINGED DAMSELS – CALOPTERYGIDAE__ Ebony Jewelwing - Calopteryx maculata__ American Rubyspot - Hetaerina americana

SPREADWINGS – LESTIDAE__ Great Spreadwing – Archilestes grandis__ Southern Spreadwing - Lestes australis__ Spotted Spreadwing - Lestes congener__ Emerald Spreadwing - Lestes dryas__ Amber-winged Spreadwing - Lestes eurinus__ Sweetflag Spreadwing - Lestes forcipatus__ Slender Spreadwing - Lestes rectangularis__ Lyre-tipped Spreadwing - Lestes unguiculatus__ Swamp Spreadwing – Lestes vigilax

POND DAMSELS – COENAGRIONIDAE__ Eastern Red Damsel - Amphiagrion saucium__ Blue-fronted Dancer - Argia apicalis__ Violet (Variable) Dancer – Argia fumipennis violacea__ Powdered Dancer - Argia moesta__ Blue-tipped Dancer - Argia tibialis__ Dusky Dancer – Argia translata__ Aurora Damsel - Chromagrion conditum__ Northern Bluet – Enallagma annexum__ Rainbow Bluet - Enallagma antennatum__ Azure Bluet - Enallagma aspersum__ Double-striped Bluet - Enallagma basidens__ Boreal Bluet - Enallagma boreale__ Tule Bluet - Enallagma carunculatum__ Familiar Bluet - Enallagma civile__ Marsh Bluet - Enallagma ebrium__ Stream Bluet - Enallagma exsulans__ Skimming Bluet - Enallagma geminatum__ Orange Bluet - Enallagma signatum__ Slender Bluet – Enallagma traviatum__ Vesper Bluet - Enallagma vesperum__ Citrine Forktail - Ischnura hastata__ Fragile Forktail - Ischnura posita__ Eastern Forktail - Ischnura verticalis__ Sedge Sprite – Nehalennia irene

DARNERS – AESHNIDAE__ Canada Darner - Aeshna canadensis__ Mottled Darner - Aeshna clepsydra__ Lance-tipped Darner - Aeshna constricta__ Black-tipped Darner - Aeshna tuberculifera__ Shadow Darner - Aeshna umbrosa__ Green-striped Darner – Aeshna verticalis__ Common Green Darner - Anax junius__ Comet Darner - Anax longipes__ Fawn Darner - Boyeria vinosa__ Swamp Darner – Epiaeschna heros__ Cyrano Darner – Nasiaeschna pentacantha__ Spatterdock Darner - Rhionaeschna mutata

CLUBTAILS – GOMPHIDAE__ Unicorn Clubtail - Arigomphus villosipes__ Flag-tailed Spinyleg - Dromogomphus spoliatus__ Plains Clubtail – Gomphus externus

__ Midland Clubtail - Gomphus fraternus__ Cobra Clubtail – Gomphus vastus__ Dragonhunter - Hagenius brevistylus__ Lancet Clubtail - Phanogomphus exilis__ Pronghorn Clubtail - Phanogomphus graslinellus__ Ashy Clubtail - Phanogomphus lividus__ Dusky Clubtail - Phanogomphus spicatus__ Elusive Clubtail - Stylurus notatus__ Russet-tipped Clubtail - Stylurus plagiatus

CRUISERS - MACROMIIDAE__ Swift River Cruiser - Macromia i. illinoiensis__ Gilded River Cruiser - Macromia pacifica__ Wabash River Cruiser - Macromia wabashensis__ Royal River Cruiser - Macromia taeniolata

EMERALDS - CORDULIIDAE__ Slender Baskettail - Epitheca costalis__ Common Baskettail - Epitheca cynosura__ Prince Baskettail - Epitheca princeps__ Hine’s Emerald - Somatochlora hineana__ Mocha Emerald - Somatochlora linearis__ Clamp-tailed Emerald - Somatochlora tenebrosa

SKIMMERS – LIBELLULIDAE__ Calico Pennant - Celithemis elisa__ Halloween Pennant - Celithemis eponina__ Banded Pennant – Celithemis fasciata__ Eastern Pondhawk - Erythemis simplicicollis__ Chalk-fronted Corporal – Ladona julia__ Frosted Whiteface – Leucorrhinia frigida__ Dot-tailed Whiteface - Leucorrhinia intacta__ Golden-winged Skimmer – Libellula auripennis__ Spangled Skimmer - Libellula cyanea__ Slaty Skimmer – Libellula incesta__ Widow Skimmer - Libellula luctuosa__ Twelve-spotted Skimmer - Libellula pulchella__ Four-spotted Skimmer - Libellula quadrimaculata__ Painted Skimmer - Libellula semifasciata__ Great Blue Skimmer - Libellula vibrans__ Blue Dasher- Pachydiplax longipennis__ Wandering Glider - Pantala flavescens__ Spot-winged Glider - Pantala hymenaea__ Eastern Amberwing - Perithemis tenera__ Common Whitetail - Plathemis lydia__ Blue-faced Meadowhawk - Sympetrum ambiguum__ Variegated Meadowhawk - Sympetrum corruptum__ Saffron-winged Meadowhawk – Sympetrum costiferum__ Cherry-faced Meadowhawk - Sympetrum internum__ White-faced Meadowhawk - Sympetrum obtrusum__ Ruby Meadowhawk - Sympetrum rubicundulum__ Band-winged Meadowhawk – Sympetrum semicinctum__ Autumn Meadowhawk - Sympetrum vicinum__ Striped Saddlebags – Tramea calverti__ Carolina Saddlebags - Tramea carolina__ Black Saddlebags - Tramea lacerata__ Red Saddlebags – Tramea onusta