Southern Broken-Dash
Wallengrenia otho (J.E. Smith, 1797)
Family: Hesperiidae
Subfamily: Hesperiinae
Identification: Upperside of male is brown with a few orange or red-oranges patches and a two-part black stigma (the "broken dash"). Female upperside is dark brown with pale orange spots. Underside of hindwing in both sexes is orange or red-orange and has a band of pale spots.
Wing Span: 1 - 1 3/8 inches (2.4 - 3.5 cm).
Life History: Males perch on vegetation within 2 feet of the ground to watch for females, usually in the early morning. Females lay eggs singly on or near the host plants. Caterpillars live in nests of silk-tied leaves; when they come out to eat they carry a piece of leaf over themselves for protection.
Flight: Two broods (sometimes a partial third) from April-October; all year in peninsular Florida and South Texas.
Caterpillar Hosts: Paspalum and St. Augustine grass (Stenotaphrum secundatum).
Adult Food: Nectar from flowers including pickerelweed, selfheal, and sweet pepperbush.
Habitat: Openings near wooded rivers or swamps.
Range: Eastern Texas and the southeastern United States south through the West Indies and Central America to Argentina. Strays north to central Missouri, northern Kentucky, and Delaware.
Conservation: Not usually required.
NCGR: G4 - Apparently secure globally, though it might be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: None reported.
Comments: NULL
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 895 verified sightings
Observation date: Jan 25, 2024
Submitted by: guy_incognito
Region: Cameron County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Feb 06, 2024
Observation date: Oct 18, 2023
Submitted by: Brendavent
Region: Collier County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Oct 19, 2023
Observation date: Oct 09, 2023
Submitted by: Pkleinsasser
Region: Flagler County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Oct 16, 2023
Observation date: Oct 07, 2023
Submitted by: KShell
Region: Dixie County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Oct 07, 2023
Observation date: Aug 26, 2023
Submitted by: Cascade Colors
Region: Cumberland County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Sep 06, 2023
Observation date: Aug 15, 2015
Submitted by: ridgeboy
Region: Osceola County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Aug 31, 2023
Observation date: Aug 28, 2023
Submitted by: Alison Davies
Region: Lexington County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Aug 29, 2023
Observation date: Jul 30, 2023
Submitted by: Cascade Colors
Region: Rutherford County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Aug 08, 2023
Observation date: Aug 05, 2023
Submitted by: Bob Bouman
Region: Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Aug 06, 2023
Observation date: Jul 10, 2023
Submitted by: Dobber31
Region: Benton County, Arkansas, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jul 11, 2023
Observation date: Jun 21, 2023
Submitted by: cklindsey
Region: Texas, Marion County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 10, 2023
Observation date: Sep 22, 2022
Submitted by: Tommie Rogers
Region: Citrus County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jun 19, 2023
Observation date: Jun 08, 2023
Submitted by: webielenberg
Region: Blount County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Jun 12, 2023
Observation date: May 17, 2023
Submitted by: ktnbcn
Region: Beauregard Parish, Louisiana, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jun 11, 2023
Observation date: May 27, 2023
Submitted by: polylepis
Region: Harris County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jun 09, 2023
Observation date: May 10, 2023
Submitted by: webielenberg
Region: Blount County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Jun 08, 2023
Observation date: May 31, 2023
Submitted by: Russ Wigh
Region: Chatham County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Jun 06, 2023
Observation date: Sep 03, 2006
Submitted by: Russ Wigh
Region: Chatham County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: May 27, 2023
Observation date: May 04, 2023
Submitted by: Mikelchap
Region: McIntosh County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: May 07, 2023
Observation date: Mar 18, 2023
Submitted by: Sue Bocchicchio
Region: Monroe County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Mar 21, 2023
Observation date: Nov 21, 2022
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: Nayarit, Mexico
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Feb 26, 2023
Observation date: Dec 22, 2022
Submitted by: Sue Bocchicchio
Region: Monroe County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Dec 22, 2022
Observation date: Mar 27, 2022
Submitted by: J_Martineau
Region: Collier County, Florida, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Dec 03, 2022
Observation date: Aug 06, 2021
Submitted by: amparrish15
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Nov 16, 2022
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