northern broken-dash

Northern broken-dash is a small, dark, nondescript, grass skipper. It occurs in the United States and southern Canada east of the Rocky Mountains. It is most common in the northeast from Maine to Michigan south to Massachusetts and Ohio. It is uncommon but sometimes locally abundant throughout its range, including in Minnesota. Adults are found from late June to mid-August in open places near wooded or shrubby areas, including fields, pastures, meadows, woodland edges, gardens, and roadsides. They drink nectar from white, pink, and purple flowers, including alfalfa, red clover, dogbane, New Jersey tea, milkweed, and blazing star. Larva feed on the leaves of panic grasses (Panicum spp.).

Adults have a 1″ to 1 9⁄16″ (25 to 39 mm) wingspan.

The upper side of both wings is dark brown with orange or light yellowish-brown (pale) markings and a brownish fringe. On the male the leading edge (costal margin) of the forewing is pale. The group of specialized scent scales (stigma) on the male forewing is black and is interrupted in the middle, like a “broken dash”. This is the feature that gives the species its common name. The black stigma is difficult to see against the dark brown background. There is a pale flag-like spot at the end of the stigma. Females do not have a stigma, but have the pale flag-like spot in the same place as the male. As with many skippers, there is a row of three small pale spots, the “wrist bracelet”, on the forewing near the costal margin in the subapical area.

The underside of the hindwing is yellowish-brown and often has a violet sheen. There is a faint, pale, postmedian band in the shape of a backwards 3.

The antennae are short and barred. Each antenna has a swelling (club) at the tip, and a pale, thin, hooked extension (apiculus) at the end of the club. The club is black above and orange below. There is not a white band below the club.

Early stage (instar) caterpillars have a yellow body and a black head. After overwintering, late instar caterpillars are light green and tan with dark green mottling, a dark central stripe, and a tannish band on each abdominal segment. Mature caterpillars are active in the spring.

Wingspan: 1″ to 1 9⁄16″ (25 to 39 mm)

Northern broken-dash, Dun skipper, and little glassywing are called “the three witches” because their dark wings make it difficult to tell “which one is which.”

Dun skipper (Euphyes vestris) has a darker brown background color. On the hindwing, the postmedian band is narrower and the spots are smaller. The male has no pale spots on the forewing and no row of faint spots on the hindwing below.

Little glassywing (Vernia verna) has a darker brown background color. On the hindwing, the postmedian band is narrower and the spots are smaller. There is a white band just below the antennal club.

Open places near wooded or shrubby areas, including fields, pastures, meadows, woodland edges, gardens, and roadsides.

One generation per year: Late June to mid-August

Males perch on vegetation up to 6′ above the ground, usually in early morning, waiting for passing females.

Middle instar caterpillars overwinter.

Leaves of panic grasses (Panicum spp.).

Nectar from white, pink, and purple flowers, including alfalfa, red clover, dogbane, New Jersey tea, milkweed, and blazing star.

Sources

21, 24, 27, 29, 30, 71, 75, 82, 83.

Biodiversity occurrence data published by: Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas (accessed through the Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas Portal, bellatlas.umn.edu, 7/6/2025).

Uncommon but sometimes locally abundant in Minnesota

Superfamily
Skippers have traditionally been placed in their own superfamily Hesperioidea because of their morphological similarity. Recent phylogenetic analysis (Kawahara and Breinholt [2014]) suggests that they share the same common ancestor as other butterfly families, and thus belong in the superfamily, Papilionoidea.

Genus
This species was formerly classified as Wallengrenia egeremet. The genus Wallengrenia is now treated as a subgenus of Polites.

Northern Broken-Dash
Cory Gregory

Northern Broken Dash Love
Jean Huffman

Location: Fillmore County, MN