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 73 - 96 of 915 verified sightings
Observation date: Jul 01, 2017
Submitted by: Mark Salvato
Region: Lee County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Nov 02, 2021
Observation date: Aug 22, 2020
Submitted by: Eddie Wyatt
Region: Baltimore County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Oct 26, 2021
Observation date: Sep 15, 2021
Submitted by: bchensel
Region: Brevard County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Oct 10, 2021
Observation date: Jun 08, 2019
Submitted by: Mark Salvato
Region: Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Sep 29, 2021
Observation date: Sep 27, 2019
Submitted by: Mark Salvato
Region: Osceola County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Sep 29, 2021
Observation date: Sep 15, 2021
Submitted by: bchensel
Region: Brevard County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Sep 29, 2021
Observation date: Aug 29, 2021
Submitted by: Mark Salvato
Region: Monroe County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Sep 01, 2021
Observation date: Jul 12, 2020
Submitted by: Mark Salvato
Region: Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Aug 26, 2021
Observation date: Jul 31, 2021
Submitted by: Mark Salvato
Region: Monroe County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Aug 07, 2021
Observation date: Sep 14, 2013
Submitted by: gunhilda
Region: Payne County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: Emily Geest
Verified date: Jul 29, 2021
Observation date: Jun 03, 2021
Submitted by: Jeff Trahan
Region: Caddo Parish, Louisiana, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jul 14, 2021
Observation date: May 17, 2021
Submitted by: sgensits
Region: Leon County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: May 18, 2021
Observation date: Mar 12, 2021
Submitted by: TomObrock
Region: Charlotte County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Mar 24, 2021
Observation date: Dec 31, 2020
Submitted by: tirvine2020
Region: Monroe County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Dec 31, 2020
Observation date: May 27, 2017
Submitted by: hmclin
Region: Dare County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Dec 08, 2020
Observation date: May 27, 2018
Submitted by: willstuart2001
Region: Anson County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Dec 07, 2020
Observation date: Nov 24, 2020
Submitted by: guy_incognito
Region: Monroe County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Nov 29, 2020
Observation date: Oct 17, 2020
Submitted by: Michael Weisensee
Region: Charlotte County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Oct 18, 2020
Observation date: Oct 15, 2020
Submitted by: Michael Weisensee
Region: Charlotte County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Oct 15, 2020
Observation date: Sep 21, 2020
Submitted by: pkondrashov
Region: St. Johns County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Sep 28, 2020
Observation date: Sep 22, 2020
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: Sumter County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Sep 25, 2020
Observation date: Sep 12, 2020
Submitted by: Debo Boddiford
Region: Candler County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Sep 16, 2020
Observation date: Sep 12, 2020
Submitted by: Jeff Trahan
Region: Franklin Parish, Louisiana, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Sep 15, 2020
Observation date: Sep 12, 2020
Submitted by: Jeff Trahan
Region: Franklin Parish, Louisiana, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Sep 15, 2020
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