Looking out at a sunny but chilly start to December. We are now past the latest historical record for flying Odonata in Ohio (Nov 30, 1975. Eastern Forktail, Greene Co). So, we're pretty much done. The naiads are still around in their life aquatic, along with overwintering eggs. Still happy to see the photos coming into iNat and remembering warmer days.

The 2022 adult season came to an early and abrupt end on Nov 10. On that day 15 people reported 19 Autumn Meadowhawks, plus one each of Shadow Darner and Common Green Darner. I was hoping for another 10 days. The days following Nov 10 were quite cold, with many areas of the state below 20F. In 2020 and 2021 we had Meadowhawks on Nov 20 - nothing this year.

While November was cut short, 2022 will be our top year for observations, now close to 35,000 research grade observations. This comprises 136 species from over 1,000 observers. Blue Dasher has edged ahead of Eastern Pondhawk as most observed. Lucas Co has emerged as the county with the most observations.

As we get the IDs complete, there will be additional updates.

While we're at the end of a season, it seems we’re never quite done getting data. Observations continue to come in for 2022 and earlier years. So, reporting numbers is an ongoing exercise, and the numbers here are already different than were just published in the Odonata Society Newsletter. Current as of 1/22/2023.

For 2022, we have at least 35,509 research grade (RG) observations. 2022 is now the most reported Odonata season for all of OOS data. New monthly highs were also reported for May, Jun, and Oct.

This set of observations represents 136 species, from 1,034 contributors. The top reported species for the year: Blue Dasher, Eastern Pondhawk, Eastern Forktail, Fragile Forktail, and Common Whitetail. 56 species tied or exceeded their previous annual maximum.

Lucas Co is the current leader in observations with 3,012. Franklin Co had the highest number of observers with 117. Montgomery Co was the leader for the number of species reported with 79. 36 Counties established new high counts on either observations or the number of species recorded.

The Ohio flight season for adult Odonata in the wild was Mar 6 to Nov 10. The Mar 6 Common Green Darner (from smwhite in Montgomery Co) set a new early flight for the OOS database. 15 different people submitted observations for Nov 10 – after which the weather was apparently no longer suitable for flying Odes.

2022 saw the expansion of flight period for 22 species, 13 species with new early flight dates and 9 species with new late flight dates.

New County Records are at 127. Great Blue Skimmer and Painted Skimmer both were reported in 7 new Counties. Columbiana Co had the most new species with 6.

More to come...