Species Page: Mulberry Wing (Poanes massasoit)

Mulberry Wing

Poanes massasoit (Scudder, 1864)

Family: Hesperiidae

Status: Rare resident

NENHP Ranking: SNR, Tier 2

Range: The Mulberry Wing resides in an area from Minnesota and Iowa east to the East Coast. The only specific Nebraska record is from Boone County.

Larval Hostplant(s): Sedges (Carex species).

Broods/Flight Times: One flight. Our records are from early July.

Overwintering: Likely as a larva.

Habitat: Marshes and wetlands.

Avg. Wingspan: 1 1/8 – 1 7/16 inches

Found at: One Boone County wetland

Similar Species:

Notes: Poanes massasoit is mentioned several times as occurring in Nebraska in old literature. Barber (1894) mentions a record from Dodge County with no data which was thought to be in error in light of no subsequent records. The species was rediscovered in 2001 in a marshy area along Beaver Creek northeast of Albion in Boone County. It has been found there on several occasions since indicating a stable population, the only one known for the state.

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