Summary ⁶

The Southern Broken Dash (Wallengrenia otho) is a butterfly of the Hesperiidae family, subfamily Hesperiinae.

It is found from eastern Texas and the south-eastern United States, south through the West Indies and Central America to Argentina. Strays can be found as far north as central Missouri, northern Kentucky and Delaware.

Description ⁷

Upper side of male is brown with a few orange or red-oranges patches and a two-part black stigma (the "broken dash"). Female upper side is dark brown with pale orange spots. Underside of hind wing 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). (http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Wallengrenia-otho)

Larval Description ⁷

Head purplish-brown or black, with two white stripes on the cheeks meeting at the top, or variably marked with white or greenish-yellow. Body green, or mottled with white and reddish-brown, with orange lateral spots and short black hairs (Scott, 1986).

Larval Host Plants ⁷

Grasses including, crowngrass Paspalum and St. Augustine grass (Stenotaphrum secundatum). (http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Wallengrenia-otho)

GTM Occurrence ⁷

The Southern Broken-Dash is considered a common species at the GTM. Most observations were in the open habitat along Transect A. It also occurs in the forest on the Marsh Pond Overlook (Transect B) and the Red Bay Walk (Transect D). Adults fly in June (1 specimen), but are at peak abundance in August and September. There have been 14 specimens observed as of December 28, 2015.

Distribution ⁶

It is found from eastern Texas and the south-eastern United States, south through the West Indies and Central America to Argentina. Strays can be found as far north as central Missouri, northern Kentucky and Delaware.

Habitat ⁸

Mostly swampy, wooded habitats and nearby openings.

Nature serve conservation status ⁹

Rounded Global Status Rank: G5 - Secure

Sources and Credits

1. (c) TexasEagle, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), https://www.flickr.com/photos/texaseagle/9838066373/
2. (c) Mary Keim, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), https://www.flickr.com/photos/38514062@N03/15188119870/
3. (c) Jerry Oldenettel, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), https://www.flickr.com/photos/jroldenettel/8332699763/
4. (c) Jerry Oldenettel, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), https://www.flickr.com/photos/jroldenettel/8333760362/
5. (c) Jerry Oldenettel, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), https://www.flickr.com/photos/jroldenettel/2751196103/
6. Adapted by GTMResearchReserve from a work by (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wallengrenia_otho
7. (c) GTMResearchReserve, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)
8. (c) NatureServe, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://eol.org/data_objects/28821111
9. (c) NatureServe, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://eol.org/data_objects/28821105

More Info

• iNat taxon page
• Animal Diversity Web
• Biodiversity Heritage Library
• BOLD Systems BIN search
• CUIC Insect Images
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)
• HOSTS - a Database of the World's Lepidopteran Hostplants

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