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long dash (Polites mystic)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CONFIRMATION STATUS: Confirmed.


FAMILY: Skippers (Hesperiidae)
SUBFAMILY: Grass Skippers (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.


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.


WING SPAN: 1 1/8 - 1 1/2 inches (2.9 - 3.8 cm).


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.


NATURESERVE GLOBAL STATUS: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally,
though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the
periphery.


MANAGEMENT NEEDS: None reported.


SKY MEADOWS OCCURRENCE:

 

Note: Due to seasonal conditions in this region, occurrence may vary from

year to year. The designation of occurrence may range over two or more

categories and may vary even during a single season.

 

Key to Checklist

A   Abundant: Easy to see very large numbers of individuals in appropriate habitat
      at proper time of year.
C   Common: Usually each to see good numbers of individuals in appropriate habitat
      at proper time of year.
U   Uncommon: Sometimes found in appropriate habitat and proper time of year,
      usually in low numbers.
O   Occasional: Found in appropriate habitat perhaps only a few times a year, usually
      in low numbers.

R   Rare: Small chance of being found, even in appropriate habitat at proper time of
      year. There are few individuals and may not be present every year.
X   Extirpated: Formerly present, no longer occurs in Sky Meadows Park.

 

      January

      February

      March

      April
      May

      June

      July

      August

      September

      October

      November

      December

 

 

Back to Inventory of Butterfly Families and Species

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