Polites vibex

Polites vibex, or the whirlabout,[2] is a grass skipper in the family Hesperiidae. The whirlabout gets its name from the landing and take off flight patterns of the adult – a circular or vortex or whirling motion.[3] It is resident from the southeastern U.S. and West Indies to eastern Mexico through the tropics down to Argentina. During the warmer North American months, it can sometimes be found as far north as Ohio, Connecticut, and northeast Iowa.

Whirlabout
Male P. v. praeceps, Tobago

Secure  (NatureServe)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Class:
Insecta
Order:
Lepidoptera
Family:
Hesperiidae
Tribe:
Hesperiini
Genus:
Polites
Species:
P. vibex
Binomial name
Polites vibex
(Geyer, [1832])
Subspecies
  • P. s. vibex
  • P. v. praeceps (Scudder, 1872)
  • P. v. brettoides (Edwards, 1883)
  • P. v. catilina (Plötz, 1886)
  • P. v. dictynna (Godman & Salvin, 1896)
  • P. v. calla Evans, 1955
  Year round
  Migration
Synonyms
  • Thymelicus vibex Geyer, [1832]

The wingspan is 25–38 mm (0.98–1.50 in).[4] North of the equator, it flies all year and migrates north in late summer and fall.[4]

The larvae feed on grasses mainly at night.[2][4][5] Eggs are white and laid one at a time on the host plants.[6]

Description

The whirlabout exhibits sexual dimorphism.[5] Although the two sexes are about the same size with a wingspan of 25–38 mm (0.98–1.50 in), they vary greatly in coloring and pattern. Both have elongated wings but the male is orange and yellow and the female is dark brown.[6]

Male

From above, the forewing is orange with a black stigma and nearby scales that form a dark, four-sided patch. The forewing also has a jagged black border. The hindwing has a black margin that is smooth inwardly.[7]

From below, the hindwing is golden orange with large, dark, smudged spots.[5]

Female

From above, the forewing is dark brown with light colored spots.[6] From below, the hindwing is a greyish yellow-brown with a couple of bands of large brown spots and light central patch with dark scales at edges.[7]

  • Male
  • Male
  • Male
  • Female
  • P. v. praeceps mating in Tobago

Geographic range

The whirlabout butterfly is resident from the southeastern U.S. and West Indies to eastern Mexico through the tropics down to Argentina.[7] During the warmer months it can sometimes be found as far north as Ohio, Connecticut, and northeast Iowa.[7]

Habitat

Coastal plain grassy areas,[5] fields, dunes, pinewoods, roadsides,[7] disturbed areas, vacant lots, open woodlots, forest edges, parks, lawns, and gardens.[6]

Food resources

Caterpillars eat various grasses.[5] Adults eat the nectar of flowers.[6]

References
  1. "NatureServe Explorer 2.0 Polites vibex Whirlabout". explorer.natureserve.org. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  2. Polites, funet.fi
  3. Brock, Jim P.; Kaufman, Kenn (2003). Kaufman Focus Guides Butterflies of North America. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company. p. 302. ISBN 0618254005.
  4. Whirlabout, Butterflies of Canada
  5. Scott, James A. (1986). The Butterflies of North America A Natural History and Field Guide. Stanford University Press. p. 446. ISBN 0-8047-2013-4.
  6. Daniels, Jaret C. (2003). Butterflies of Florida Field Guide. Adventure Publications, Inc. pp. 178–179. ISBN 978-1-59193-005-1.
  7. Opler, Paul A.; Vichai Malikul (1998). A Field Guide to Eastern Butterflies (Peterson Field Guides). Houghton Mifflin Company. p. 377. ISBN 978-0-395-90453-4.
  • Whirlabout, Butterflies and Moths of North America
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