Mulberry Wing
Poanes massasoit (Scudder, 1864)
Family: Hesperiidae
Subfamily: Hesperiinae
Identification: Wings are dark brown to black, relatively short and rounded. Upperside has small (male) or larger (female) yellow spots. Underside of hindwing has a large irregular yellow patch; rare individuals are rust colored and have no patch.
Wing Span: 1 1/8 - 1 7/16 inches (2.9 - 3.7 cm).
Life History: Males patrol with a low, weak, meandering flight through marshes in search for receptive females.
Flight: One brood from late June to mid-August.
Caterpillar Hosts: Upright sedge (Carex stricta), and possibly others.
Adult Food: Flower nectar.
Habitat: Freshwater marshes or bogs.
Range: New York and Massachusetts west across the Great Lakes states to southern Minnesota and North Dakota. A coastal population ranges from southern New Hampshire south to Maryland.
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 776 verified sightings

Observation date: Jul 15, 2021
Submitted by: hockeybruce7
Region: Monroe County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Dec 22, 2022

Observation date: Jul 14, 2022
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Lenawee County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 30, 2022

Observation date: Jul 15, 2022
Submitted by: jmgesell
Region: Monroe County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jul 31, 2022

Observation date: Jul 20, 2022
Submitted by: Ed Harrison
Region: Saratoga County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 24, 2022

Observation date: Jul 17, 2022
Submitted by: BarbSendelbach
Region: Sussex County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: BarbSendelbach
Verified date: Jul 20, 2022

Observation date: Jul 20, 2022
Submitted by: rapids
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 20, 2022

Observation date: Jul 20, 2022
Submitted by: rapids
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 20, 2022

Observation date: Jul 16, 2022
Submitted by: rapids
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 16, 2022

Observation date: Jul 26, 2021
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Ingham County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jul 28, 2021

Observation date: Jul 19, 2021
Submitted by: jmgesell
Region: Monroe County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jul 20, 2021

Observation date: Jul 19, 2021
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Ingham County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jul 20, 2021

Observation date: Jul 03, 2021
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Barry County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jul 16, 2021

Observation date: Jul 06, 2021
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Ingham County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jul 16, 2021

Observation date: Jul 14, 2021
Submitted by: Don Marotte
Region: Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jul 14, 2021

Observation date: Jul 10, 2021
Submitted by: rapids
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jul 11, 2021

Observation date: Jul 06, 2021
Submitted by: Tom Raub
Region: Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jul 07, 2021

Observation date: Jul 04, 2021
Submitted by: rapids
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jul 05, 2021

Observation date: Jul 04, 2021
Submitted by: rapids
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jul 05, 2021

Observation date: Jun 27, 2021
Submitted by: rapids
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jun 28, 2021

Observation date: Jul 07, 2020
Submitted by: wade wander
Region: Sussex County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: Jack Connor
Verified date: Feb 16, 2021

Observation date: Jul 12, 2020
Submitted by: TJ in Derry
Region: Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Dec 18, 2020

Observation date: Jul 22, 2020
Submitted by: kristenej
Region: Westchester County, New York, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Aug 20, 2020

Observation date: Jul 30, 2020
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Ingham County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Aug 16, 2020

Observation date: Jul 17, 2020
Submitted by: Deb Tracy-Kral
Region: Dutchess County, New York, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jul 21, 2020
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