Jump to:
State listed species
Species of Greatest Conservation Need (state and regional)
Species with fewer than 5 records
State listed species
Updated June 2024
Every few years, the state of Michigan tasks various committees of experts with reviewing threatened and endangered species, as required by law. The past two cycles, Julie Craves has been a member of the Insect Technical Advisory Committee. The committee works to form recommendations on elevations, downgrades, additions, and subtractions to the list, which then goes through a review process that includes internal review and public comment before being signed into law.
There were multiple changes made to the Odonata in the recommendations submitted in 2014-2015 that were not acted upon by the state. The Committee once again revised the list, and submitted changes in September 2019. After delays related to Covid, the list was finalized and signed into law. The new list of Odonata is below. The entire state threatened and endangered species list can be viewed here.
Endangered
Hine’s Emerald – Somatochlora hineana Williamson no change
Russet-tipped Clubtail – Stylurus plagiatus (Selys) – elevated from special concern
Gray Petaltail – Tachopteryx thoreyi (Hagen in Selys) – elevated from threatened
Threatened
Tiger Spiketail – Cordulegaster erronea Hagen in Selys- elevated from special concern
Alleghany River Cruiser — Macromia alleghaniensis Williamson – new to list
Pygmy Snaketail – Ophiogomphus howei Bromley – no change
Elusive Clubtail – Stylurus notatus (Rambur) – elevated from special concern
Special concern (no legal protection)
Extra-striped Snaketail – Ophiogomphus anomalus Harvey
Incurvate Emerald – Somatochlora incurvata Walker
Riverine Clubtail – Stylurus amnicola Walsh
Laura’s Clubtail – Stylurus laurae Williamson
Removed from special concern
Smoky Rubyspot – Hetaerina titia (Drury)
Splendid Clubtail – Gomphurus lineatifrons (Calvert)
Rapids Clubtail – Phanogomphus quadricolor (Walsh)
Ebony Boghaunter – Williamsonia fletcheri Williamson
Ringed Boghaunter – Williamsonia lintneri (Hagen in Selys)
Species of greatest conservation need
These species are designated as being of Greatest Conservation Need in the state by Michigan’s Wildlife Action Plan.
Gray Petaltail – Tachopteryx thoreyi (Hagen in Selys)
Extra-striped Snaketail – Ophiogomphus anomalus Harvey
Pygmy Snaketail – Ophiogomphus howei Bromley
Riverine Clubtail – Stylurus amnicola Walsh
Laura’s Clubtail – Stylurus laurae Williamson
Elusive Clubtail – Stylurus notatus (Rambur)
Russet-tipped Clubtail – Stylurus plagiatus (Selys)
Hine’s Emerald – Somatochlora hineana Williamson
Incurvate Emerald – Somatochlora incurvata Walker
These species are designated as Regional Species of Greatest Conservation Need in the Midwest region; “Watchlist” are species that are of concern but there is insufficient data or variable data among the states. Julie Craves also served on the committee that formulated this list for the Midwest. More information on the regional lists is in this post at Urban Dragon Hunters.
Skillet Clubtail – Gomphurus ventricosus (Walsh)
Green-faced Clubtail – Hylogomphus viridifrons (Hine)
Elfin Skimmer – Nannothemis bella (Uhler)
Pygmy Snaketail – Ophiogomphus howei Bromley
Spatterdock Darner – Rhionaeschna mutata (Hagen)
Hine’s Emerald – Somatochlora hineana Williamson
Riverine Clubtail – Stylurus amnicola Walsh
Elusive Clubtail – Stylurus notatus (Rambur)
Gray Petaltail – Tachopteryx thoreyi (Hagen in Selys)
Watchlist:
Zigzag Darner – Aeshna sitchensis Hagen
Subarctic Darner – Aeshna subarctica Walker
Horned Clubtail – Arigomphus cornutus (Tough)
Splendid Clubtail – Gomphurus lineatifrons (Calvert)
Extra-striped Snaketail – Ophiogomphus anomalus Harvey
Ski-tipped Emerald – Somatochlora elongata (Scudder)
Forcipate Emerald – Somatochlora forcipata (Scudder)
Brush-tipped Emerald – Somatochlora walshii (Scudder)
Russet-tipped Clubtail – Stylurus plagiatus (Selys)
Ringed Boghaunter – Williamsonia lintneri (Hagen in Selys)
Species with fewer than 5 records
Updated November 2023
These species are represented by 5 or fewer records — usually each record is a single voucher, but sometimes multiple individuals are combined in one database records (a pair in copula or a group of nymphs, for example). Counties of where collected are provided.
- Dusky Dancer (Argia translata): 3 records = 1 from Monroe, 2 from Washtenaw
- Sedge Darner (Aeshna juncea): 1 record, Keweenaw
- Ocellated Darner (Boyeria grafiana): 1 record, 1936, Keweenaw
- Taper-tailed Darner (Gomphaeschna antilope): 2 records, Grand Traverse
- Gray Petaltail (Tachopteryx thoreyi): 4 records= 2 each from Cass and Berrien
- Flag-tailed Spinyleg (Dromogomphus spoliatus): 4 records = 2 each from Lenawee and Wayne
- Tiger Spiketail (Cordulegaster erronea): 4 records = 3 from Kalamazoo, 1 from Oceana
- Allegheny River Cruiser (Macromia alleghaniensis): 5 records = 3 from Cass, 2 from Jackson
- Plains Emerald (Somatochlora ensigera): 2 records, Menominee
- Great Pondhawk (Erythemis vesiculosa): 1 record, Ingham
- Band-winged Dragonlet (Erythrodiplax umbrata): 1 record, Wayne
- Golden-winged Skimmer (Libellula auripennis): 1 record, Washtenaw
- Blue-faced Meadowhawk (Sympetrum ambiguum): 2 records, Washtenaw
- Striped Saddlebags (Tramea darwini): 1 record, Wayne