Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

Northern Broken-Dash
Wallengrenia egeremet (Scudder, 1864)


Family: Hesperiidae
Subfamily: Hesperiinae
Identification: Upperside is dark brown. Male forewing has a cream spot at the end of the cell, and a divided stigma (the "broken dash"); female forewing has a few elongated cream spots. Underside is dark brown or purple-brown; hindwing has a pale band of spots.
Wing Span: 1 - 1 1/2 inches (2.5 - 3.9 cm).
Life History: Adults have a slow flight. Males perch up to 6 feet above ground to wait for females, usually in the early morning. Caterpillars eat leaves; half-grown caterpillars hibernate.
Flight: One brood from June-August; two broods from May-October in the Deep South and east Texas.
Caterpillar Hosts: Panic grasses including deertongue grass (Panicum clandestinum) and P. dichotomum.
Adult Food: Nectar from white, pink, or purple flowers is favored including dogbane, red clover, New Jersey tea, and sweet pepperbush. Many other flowers are visited.
Habitat: Open places near woods or scrub.
Range: Southern Maine and southern Ontario west across the Great Lakes states to southeastern North Dakota; south to central Florida, the Gulf Coast, and southeast Texas.
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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