Resources | Ohio Dragonfly Survey

So, you want to learn how to identify dragonflies and damselflies? Well, you are headed in the right direction. This web-page will be a compilation of good resources to get you started on identifying Odonata. Let me know if any of the links have died or you have another link that you would like included. – MaLisa

Books:

Glotzhober, Robert C. and Dave McShaffrey. 2002. The Dragonflies and Damselflies of Ohio. Ohio Biological Survey, Bulletin/New Series, Volume 14, Number 2.

364 pp. Illustrated keys for ID of specimens in hand with magnification. Detailed species descriptions with habitat info, Ohio maps and known flight dates. Baseline for entire state. Can be ordered through the Ohio Biological Survey.

Lam, Ed. 2004. Damselflies of the Northeast. Biodiversity Books, Forest Hills, NY.

96pp. Excellent field guide for area with 2 or 3 or more colored illustrations for each species with details on how to separate for ID. Seems to be out of print, but used copies available online. Easiest to get directly from his website.

Paulson, Dennis. 2011. Dragonflies and Damselflies of the East. Princeton University Press.

538 pp. Excellent descriptions and photos for U.S. east of Mississippi River. Therefore, it includes many species not in Ohio, but is highly useful for ID and species discussions.

Rosche, Larry, Judy Semroc and Linda Gilbert. 2008. Dragonflies and Damselflies of Northeast Ohio, Second Edition. Cleveland Museum of Natural History.

300 pp. Spiral bound for easy use. Includes 14 northeastern Ohio counties. Excellent photos and illustrations and species discussions. Includes a flight season line and map of which counties each species was known from. Be sure to get “Second Edition” which has many more photographs than the original.

Needham, J. G., Westfall, M. J. Jr. and May, M. L. 2014. Dragonflies of North America. Third Edition. Scientific Publishers, Gainesville, Fl.

658 pp. This rather technical tome is no field guide, but is a great source for keying out those tricky specimens (both adult and immature). It includes an abundance of line drawings of specimens and includes the immature forms. The third edition is updated to include more recent taxonomy and species for all of North America. Limited print, so might be a challenge to get a copy.

Westfall, M. J. Jr. and May, M. L. 2006. Damselflies of North America. Second Edition Scientific Publishers, Gainesville, Fl.

502 pp. Covers all 168 species of damselflies of North America and includes keys for identification of adults and larvae. As with the Dragonflies of North America tome, this book also includes an abundance of line drawings to aid in identification. Limited print, so might be a challenge to get a copy.

Beaton, G. 2007. Dragonflies and Damselflies of Georgia and the Southeast. University of Georgia Press.

368 pp. Covers many species for Ohio and several southern species that we should expect to start invading Ohio. Many color photographs and is a good compliment to 3 and 4 of this list.

Tennessen, K. 2019. Dragonfly Nymphs of North America. Springer.

620 pp. Covers all dragonfly larvae of north america. Many amazing illustrations that make it easy for someone new to see what character he is referring to.

Aguilar, A. and Garay, M. Las libelulas y los caballitos del diablo: un mundo fascinante. 2017.

15 pp. En Español. Una introducción a las libélulas y los caballitos del diablo. Tiene información de la ecología, reproducción, la importancia a controlar bichos, y mucho más. Contacto Alejandro Cordoba Aguilar (acordoba@iecologia.unam.mx) para obtener una copia física del libro.

Online Resources:

A great visual key for adults

Odonata Nymphs of Michigan Key

Macroinvertebrate ID

Dragonfly Nymphs to Family pdf Link dead?

Atlas of Dragonfly Larvae – Old Woman Creek National Estuarine Research Reserve and State Nature Preserve, Ohio Link dead?

Ohio Odonata Diagnostics by Dave McShaffrey

Ohio Odonata Diagnostics – by Dave McShaffrey – now hosted on our page

ODNR Dragonfly and Damselfly guide

Meadowhawk (Sympetrum) Identification

En Español: Las libelulas y los caballitos del diablo: un mundo fascinante.

Wisconsin Odonata Survey – Collection basics

Cell phone App:
Dragonfly ID – as of this listing, it was still a work in progress, but it includes species descriptions, ranges, and photos for all NA species of dragonflies and damselflies.

Odo-Con-17 Presentations: Powerpoint

History of Ohio Odonata Survey – Dave McShaffrey
The New Survey Overview – MaLisa Spring
Introduction to Odonata – Shane Myers
Adding Data to the Ohio Dragonfly Survey – Bob Glotzhober
Photographic Primer for Confusing Odonata Species – Judy Semroc
Observing Odonates – Giff Beaton – large – try pdf for easier download

Odo-Con-17 Presentations: PDFs* These were converted from .ppt, so no promises on perfect conversion.

Odo-Con-18 Presentations:
Odo-Con Welcome and Silhouette ID Presentation – MaLisa Spring
Clubtails of the Grand River – John Pogacnik
Common Ohio Damselflies – Jim Lemon
Dragonflies 101 – Bob Glotzhober
Minnesota Dragonfly Survey – Kurt Mead
Hunting Dragons – Photographic methods – Jim McCormac
Photographing Odonates – Judy Semroc
Photographing Odonates – Rick Nirschl
Out of the Net and Into the Museum: Ethics of Collecting and the Adventure of 60,000 lifetimes – Emily Sandall (PDF only)
Using a Key and Larval ID – Bob Restifo
Survey Methods – Dave McShaffrey
“Net” Results at the West Woods – Window Nets as dragon catchers – Linda Gilbert
New and Uncommon Dragons to Ohio – Shane Myers

Odo-Con-18 Presentations: PDF Converted versions
Odo-Con Welcome and Silhouette ID Presentation – MaLisa Spring
Clubtails of the Grand River – John Pogacnik
Common Ohio Damselflies – Jim Lemon
Dragonflies 101 – Bob Glotzhober
Minnesota Dragonfly Survey – Kurt Mead
Hunting Dragons – Photographic methods – Jim McCormac
Photographing Odonates – Judy Semroc
Photographing Odonates – Rick Nirschl
Out of the Net and Into the Museum: Ethics of Collecting and the Adventure of 60,000 lifetimes – Emily Sandall
Using a Key and Larval ID – Bob Restifo
Survey Methods – Dave McShaffrey
“Net” Results at the West Woods – Window Nets as dragon catchers – Linda Gilbert

2019 Ohio Dragonfly Conference: PDF versions
Gardening to avoid the Odonata “trap” – Elisabeth Rothschild (awaiting permission to post)
Adventures with Laura’s Clubtail – Linda Gilbert
Too hot to trot? Climate & Color Adaptation in Dragonflies – Michael Moore
Microhabitat Selection by Hetaerina americana and Hetaerina titia – Dave McShaffrey
Ohio Spreadwings – Jim Lemon
University of Rio Grande Wildlife Conservation Program-Don Althoff (awaiting permission to post)
Ohio Research on Tiger Spiketails – Bob Glotzhober (awaiting permission to post)
The Photographic Big Year: Getting the Shot When it Really Counts – Nina Harfmann
Don’t Bite Me: Arthropods of Public Health importance – Bob Restifo
Fun With Maps: Weird species distributions in Ohio – MaLisa Spring
Introduction to Dragonflies – Kyle Bailey
Wildlife and Threatened and Endangered Species at the Wayne National Forest – Lynda Andrews (awaiting permission to post)

(If any of the links don’t work, email MaLisa and she will try to update them)

Other Presentations:
Hunting Dragons: Photographing Ohio’s Dragonflies and Damselflies – Jim McCormac April 26 2018
Gardening for Dragonflies – Presented by MaLisa at various locations in 2019

Videos:

Deep Look – A Baby Dragonfly’s Mouth will give you nightmares

Wisconsin Odonata Survey video series – includes overview, collection, preservation, and rearing.

Dragonfly Nymphs to Family Video – can’t embed in this website.

Ohio Dragonfly Survey Handouts:

Press Release (Spring 2018)
Wanted Poster (small jpeg) – for those who would like to print it larger than 8.5×11, please contact MaLisa Spring
Survey informational leaflets
Swift Setwing Factsheet
Hine’s Emerald Factsheet

Ohio Dragonfly Checklist (as pdf or Excel)
All Ohio Damselfly Checklist (as pdf or Excel)

Silhouette Identification Guides:
Damselfly (Zygoptera)

Dragonfly (Anisoptera)