Long Dash
Polites mystic (W.H. Edwards, 1863)
Family: Hesperiidae
Subfamily: Hesperiinae
Identification: Upperside is dark brown with reddish to yellowish orange markings. Forewing of female has a broad black patch at the base; male forewing has a long, slightly curved stigma which may be connected to the dash near the apex (creating a "long dash"). Underside of hindwing is orange-brown with a curved band of equal-sized yellow spots.
Wing Span: 1 1/8 - 1 1/2 inches (2.9 - 3.8 cm).
Life History: Males perch in low grassy spots, streambeds, or swales during most of the day; courtship occurs in mid- to late afternoon. Females deposit eggs singly on or near the host plant. Caterpillars feed on leaves and live in shelters of tied leaves. Fourth-stage caterpillars hibernate.
Flight: One brood from late May to early August.
Caterpillar Hosts: Bluegrasses (Poa species).
Adult Food: Nectar from flowers including common milkweed, selfheal, mountain laurel, and tick trefoil.
Habitat: Open, moist areas including meadows, marshes, streamsides, wood edges, and prairie swales.
Range: Southern British Columbia east to Nova Scotia; south to Washington, Idaho, Colorado, Nebraska, Iowa, northern Illinois, West Virginia, Virginia, and New Jersey.
Conservation: Not usually required.
NCGR: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: None reported.
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 193 - 216 of 2521 verified sightings
Observation date: Jun 26, 2016
Submitted by: rocksnstars
Region: Oxford County, Maine, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jun 30, 2016
Observation date: Jun 14, 2016
Submitted by: BeaLaporte
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jun 30, 2016
Observation date: Jun 20, 2016
Submitted by: curtis.lehman
Region: Somerset County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jun 20, 2016
Observation date: Jun 16, 2016
Submitted by: jvkopple2
Region: Kalkaska County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jun 18, 2016
Observation date: Jun 09, 2016
Submitted by: Joe Bartok
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jun 09, 2016
Observation date: Jun 14, 2015
Submitted by: dpgbfly1
Region: Anoka County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Jan 28, 2016
Observation date: Jul 03, 2015
Submitted by: dpgbfly1
Region: Kanabec County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Jan 28, 2016
Observation date: Jul 07, 2015
Submitted by: dpgbfly1
Region: Mille Lacs County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Jan 28, 2016
Observation date: Aug 23, 2015
Submitted by: J_Martineau
Region: Johnson County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Jan 08, 2016
Observation date: Jul 13, 2015
Submitted by: mikeakresh
Region: Coos County, New Hampshire, United States
Verified by: Jim Edsall
Verified date: Dec 09, 2015
Observation date: Jun 27, 2015
Submitted by: wayne13114
Region: Oswego County, New York, United States
Verified by: wayne13114
Verified date: Sep 25, 2015
Observation date: Jul 08, 2015
Submitted by: rbuist
Region: Manitoba, Canada
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Sep 22, 2015
Observation date: Jul 24, 2015
Submitted by: cblazo
Region: Franklin County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jul 26, 2015
Observation date: Jul 04, 2015
Submitted by: rocksnstars
Region: Oxford County, Maine, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jul 22, 2015
Observation date: Jul 03, 2015
Submitted by: rocksnstars
Region: Oxford County, Maine, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jul 22, 2015
Observation date: Jul 11, 2015
Submitted by: treichard
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jul 20, 2015
Observation date: Jul 11, 2015
Submitted by: treichard
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jul 20, 2015
Observation date: Jul 11, 2015
Submitted by: treichard
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jul 20, 2015
Observation date: Jul 11, 2015
Submitted by: treichard
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jul 20, 2015
Observation date: Jul 11, 2015
Submitted by: treichard
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jul 19, 2015
Observation date: Jul 04, 2015
Submitted by: treichard
Region: Forest County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jul 17, 2015
Observation date: Jul 09, 2015
Submitted by: treichard
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jul 17, 2015
Observation date: Jul 09, 2015
Submitted by: treichard
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jul 15, 2015
Observation date: Jun 09, 2015
Submitted by: Sue Orlowski
Region: Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: sharonstichter2
Verified date: Jul 13, 2015
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