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Nearby · Lorain Co.
Twelve-spotted Skimmer (Libellula pulchella)
(c) Cameron Eckert, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Cameron Eckert · CC BY-NC 4.0 (opens in a new tab) · iNaturalist (opens in a new tab)
Dragonflies and damselfliesIn Lorain County, Ohio

Twelve-spotted Skimmer

Libellula pulchella Drury, 1773

Twelve-spotted Skimmer in all of Ohio
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Arthropoda
Class
Insecta
Order
Odonata
Family
Libellulidae
Genus
Libellula
Near Lorain County

Range

Where it is recorded

Season shown in 14 of Ohio's 88 counties. Explore Ohio

  • No result yet (5)
  • Recorded, too few records for a result (60)
  • Recorded, season not shown (9)
  • Season shown (14)
Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau, 2025 Cartographic Boundary Files, 1:500,000. Show as a table
Counties as a table
Twelve-spotted Skimmer by Ohio county: records and mapped range
CountyRecords
Adams CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Allen CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Ashland CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Ashtabula County55 · Season shown
Athens CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Auglaize CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Belmont CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Brown CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Butler CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Carroll CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Champaign County49 · Recorded, season not shown
Clark County63 · Season shown
Clermont County55 · Season shown
Clinton CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Columbiana CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Coshocton CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Crawford CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Cuyahoga County102 · Season shown
Darke CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Defiance CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Delaware CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Erie CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Fairfield CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Fayette CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Franklin County86 · Recorded, season not shown
Fulton CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Gallia CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Geauga County28 · Season shown
Greene County70 · Recorded, season not shown
Guernsey CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Hamilton County39 · Recorded, season not shown
Hancock CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Hardin CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Harrison CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Henry CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Highland CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Hocking CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Holmes CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Huron CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Jackson CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Jefferson CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Knox CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Lake County71 · Season shown
Lawrence CountyNo qualifying records yet
Licking County20 · Recorded, season not shown
Logan County21 · Season shown
Lorain County60 · Recorded, season not shown
Lucas County203 · Season shown
Madison County23 · Recorded, season not shown
Mahoning County28 · Season shown
Marion CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Medina CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Meigs CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Mercer CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Miami County23 · Recorded, season not shown
Monroe CountyNo qualifying records yet
Montgomery County72 · Season shown
Morgan CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Morrow CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Muskingum CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Noble CountyNo qualifying records yet
Ottawa CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Paulding CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Perry CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Pickaway CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Pike CountyNo qualifying records yet
Portage CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Preble CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Putnam CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Richland CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Ross CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Sandusky CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Scioto CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Seneca CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Shelby CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Stark County47 · Season shown
Summit County126 · Season shown
Trumbull CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Tuscarawas CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Union County27 · Season shown
Van Wert CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Vinton CountyNo qualifying records yet
Warren County21 · Recorded, season not shown
Washington CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Wayne CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Williams CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Wood County24 · Season shown
Wyandot CountyRecorded, too few records for a result

No mapped range from the range source used, the USGS Gap Analysis Project, which maps land vertebrates only.

Season

When it is recorded

In Lorain County

Not enough evidence

The weeks are still too uncertain to show a season. Based on 60 records in 8 of the 10 years from 2016 to 2025, above the minimum of 20 records from 5 different years.
Show over the bars
Recording in Lorain County · records of all species each week, 26,475 in all

Records per week from 60 records in 8 of the 10 years from 2016 to 2025. Shows when people recorded it, not a season or how common it is.

Show as a table
Records of Twelve-spotted Skimmer in Lorain County each week, and records of all species
WeekRecords of Twelve-spotted SkimmerYears recordedRecords of all species
Jan 4–1000193
Jan 11–1700115
Jan 18–240075
Jan 25–310059
Feb 1–700101
Feb 8–140099
Feb 15–210084
Feb 22–280049
Mar 1–700114
Mar 8–1400103
Mar 15–2100258
Mar 22–2800139
Mar 29 – Apr 400228
Apr 5–1100376
Apr 12–1800561
Apr 19–2500560
Apr 26 – May 2001,122
May 3–900824
May 10–1600793
May 17–2300901
May 24–3021886
May 31 – Jun 674771
Jun 7–1384797
Jun 14–201241,124
Jun 21–2794954
Jun 28 – Jul 453770
Jul 5–1154973
Jul 12–1811957
Jul 19–25431,240
Jul 26 – Aug 153912
Aug 2–800907
Aug 9–1500769
Aug 16–2200768
Aug 23–2900788
Aug 30 – Sep 500959
Sep 6–1200907
Sep 13–1922817
Sep 20–2600745
Sep 27 – Oct 300508
Oct 4–1000597
Oct 11–1700343
Oct 18–2400426
Oct 25–3100297
Nov 1–700278
Nov 8–1400210
Nov 15–2100121
Nov 22–2800100
Nov 29 – Dec 500118
Dec 6–120060
Dec 13–1900224
Dec 20–2600187
Dec 27 – Jan 200208

Reported as an adult

Only 5 records here are marked as adults, too few to show a adult season. One needs at least 20 records from 5 different years.

Reported as a larva

No records here are marked as larvae yet, so there is no larva season to show. One needs at least 20 records from 5 different years.

In Ohio

Late May to late August, middle week Jun 28 – Jul 4

Show over the bars
Recording in Ohio · records of all species each week, 1,691,199 in all

Records per week from 2,592 records in 10 of the 10 years from 2016 to 2025. Shows when people recorded it, not how common it is. The grey bars show how many records of all species were made here each week, so you can see when recording itself was high or low; the season is not adjusted by them.

Recorded on 814 dates. Latest record: September 2025.

Show as a table
Records of Twelve-spotted Skimmer in Ohio each week, and records of all species
WeekRecords of Twelve-spotted SkimmerYears recordedRecords of all species
Jan 4–10006,211
Jan 11–17005,146
Jan 18–24004,645
Jan 25–31004,698
Feb 1–7006,023
Feb 8–14005,888
Feb 15–21005,436
Feb 22–28006,846
Mar 1–7008,321
Mar 8–140010,384
Mar 15–210012,620
Mar 22–280013,949
Mar 29 – Apr 40019,661
Apr 5–110026,860
Apr 12–180039,925
Apr 19–250041,623
Apr 26 – May 20056,391
May 3–94152,952
May 10–163353,785
May 17–2342957,698
May 24–301331054,651
May 31 – Jun 62071053,099
Jun 7–132821053,700
Jun 14–202911056,625
Jun 21–272601055,361
Jun 28 – Jul 42131058,477
Jul 5–111731061,336
Jul 12–18168964,722
Jul 19–25981069,753
Jul 26 – Aug 11311059,416
Aug 2–81041059,712
Aug 9–151161055,994
Aug 16–2297954,328
Aug 23–2996951,772
Aug 30 – Sep 5831057,167
Sep 6–12311059,075
Sep 13–1926854,543
Sep 20–2619745,860
Sep 27 – Oct 39443,180
Oct 4–103337,841
Oct 11–172230,824
Oct 18–241121,156
Oct 25–310019,021
Nov 1–70014,172
Nov 8–140012,621
Nov 15–21007,965
Nov 22–28008,136
Nov 29 – Dec 5006,083
Dec 6–12006,004
Dec 13–19005,423
Dec 20–26005,661
Dec 27 – Jan 2008,459

Reported as an adult

Usually reported as an adult late May to late August, middle week Jun 28 – Jul 4.

From 363 records that are marked as adults. Not every photo is marked with a life stage, so this shows when people reported it as an adult, not when adults are about.

Reported as a larva

No records here are marked as larvae yet, so there is no larva season to show. One needs at least 20 records from 5 different years.

What these results show

These results show when people recorded a species, not when or where it occurs. Missing weeks and low counts do not mean absence or scarcity, and counts are not abundance. Contributed records reflect where, when and what people chose to observe.

Relatives

In the same genus

Other Libellula recorded in Lorain County

Slaty SkimmerLibellula incestaWidow SkimmerLibellula luctuosa

Identification

How to identify it

Often confused with

  • Common Whitetail Plathemis lydiaOften confused in Ohio: 62 identifications in Ohio named one where the other was meant
  • Widow Skimmer Libellula luctuosa55 identifications worldwide named one where the other was meant
  • Painted Skimmer Libellula semifasciata51 identifications worldwide named one where the other was meant
  • Prince Baskettail Epitheca princeps34 identifications worldwide named one where the other was meant
  • Banded Pennant Celithemis fasciata29 identifications worldwide named one where the other was meant

From iNaturalist’s similar-species counts, refreshed monthly: confusions in Ohio first, then worldwide. Only species with an Ohio result are listed.

Months not reported

  1. Jan: no record
  2. Feb: no record
  3. Mar: no record
  4. Apr: no record
  5. May: recorded
  6. Jun: recorded
  7. Jul: recorded
  8. Aug: recorded
  9. Sep: recorded
  10. Oct: recorded
  11. Nov: no record
  12. Dec: no record

Not reported in Ohio in November to April, 2016 to 2025.

Land cover where it is recorded

Land coverIts recordsAll Ohio records
Developed35%49%
Farmland28%11%
Forest20%31%
Wetland10%5%
Barren3%0.6%
Open water3%3%
Grassland and shrub2%0.9%

From 969 records placed within 100 m, beside all Ohio records placed the same way. People record where they go, so this shows where records come from, not where the species lives. Land cover: USGS Annual NLCD, 2025 (opens in a new tab)

Sources

Where these results come from

  • Records from iNaturalist research-grade observations and expert-identified GBIF datasets, CC0, CC BY and CC BY-NC. Sources
  • Seasons use the published method and its evidence thresholds. Methods
  • See it on iNaturalist (opens in a new tab)OpenPhenology is independent and not affiliated with iNaturalist.

Records behind the Ohio result

2,592 records from 2 datasets.

To cite: the GBIF download doi:10.15468/dl.y2jkt8 (opens in a new tab).

A spreadsheet (CSV) with a link to each record, on iNaturalist or GBIF. Records whose location was hidden by the observer or the source are counted but not linked.