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The Long Dash (Thymelicus mystic)

Thymelicus mystic (Thy-mel'i-cus mystic) PLATE XL, FIG. 16, 17, 18 The upper surface of the fore wings are largely tawny with a broad brown outer margin; there is also a brown patch at the base back of cell R + M and one beyond the end of this cell; in the male there is a long narrow brand which is continued by the brown patch beyond the end of cell R + M. On the hind wings the brown outer margin is narrower than that of the fore wings. The female resembles the female of the sachem, but differs in that all of the spots in the transverse row beyond the middle of the fore wings are tawny, not translucent.

On the lower side the ground color of the wings is orange buff in the male and cinnamon brown in the female.

Expanse of wings one and one-third inches.

The popular name was suggested by the long narrow brand of the male. The skipper has been found in New England and the northern part of the Middle States. The larva feeds on grasses.