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Species
Spotlight

Giant Silk
Moth Survey

MULBERRY WING (Poanes massasoit)

Identification
Males are blackish-brown above with two small yellowish spots on forewing (spots are not always present). Females are blackish-brown above with more prominent white spots. Both are rusty-brown below with a large irregular yellow patch (cross-shaped) and short, rounded wings.

Massachusetts Butterfly Club photographs

Kaufman's Butterflies of North America, page 330
Glassberg's Butterflies Through Binoculars, plate 65

Habitat in Vermont
Sedge wetlands; often with Black Dash and Dion Skipper

Host Plant
Narrow-leaved sedges, such as Tussock Sedge (Carex stricta)

Adult Food Preferences
Flower nectar, especially from Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata).

U.S. Distribution

VBS Distribution


VBS Flight Period


Notes
The most notable “field mark” on this dark skipper is probably is low, weak, wimpy flight. If you’re leaving a path through a sedge wetland in pursuit of this butterfly, turn and look behind you — Mulberrywing might be using your path as a butterfly highway. It’s “airplane” marking on the underside of the hind wing is unmistakable.

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