The Northern Broken-Dash is a medium-sized, brown skipper with a few light beige spots. The upperside of males have a divided stigma on the post basal-post-median region of the forewing, like that of the Southern Broken-Dash (hence the name” broken dash”). The male forewing has a pale pinkish spot at the tip of the divided black stigma. The underside of the male is purplish to reddish brown with a submarginal, curved row of pale beige spots on the hindwing. The upperside of the female is brown with a row of pale orange spots in the outer forewing. Both sexes have the characteristic faint, curved row of pale spots on the hindwing sub-margin.

 

“Northern Broken-Dash” by Summerazure, licensed under (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)

 

Northern Broken-Dash Facts

Butterfly Family: Skipper (Hesperiidae)

Butterfly Subfamily: Hesperiinae

Butterfly Wingspan: 1 – 1 1/2 inches

Butterfly Habitat: Open places near woods or scrub

 

Northern Broken-Dash Host and Nectar Plants

Host Plants:

• Panic Grass
• Deertongue Grass
• Switch Grass

Nectar Plants:

• Nectar from various flowers
  • Dogbane
  • Red Clover
  • New Jersey Tea
  • Sweet Pepperbush
  • Thistle
  • Joe-Pye Weed
  • White Clover