Attributes of Polites rhesus
Rhesus Skipper
Polites rhesus (W.H. Edwards, 1878)
Family: Hesperiidae
Subfamily: Hesperiinae
Identification: Fringes are white. Upperside is dark brown; male stigma is not apparent. Forewing spots are white; larger in the female. Underside of hindwing is greenish brown with white veins, a white band, and irregular dark spots.
Wing Span: 1 - 1 1/4 inches (2.5 - 3.2 cm).
Life History: To await receptive females, males perch on small mesas up to 6 feet high or on flats where there are no mesas. Females lay eggs singly on the host plants.
Flight: One brood from May-June.
Caterpillar Hosts: Blue grama grass (Bouteloua gracilis).
Adult Food: Nectar from flowers including Drummond\'s milkvetch (Astragalus drummondii).
Habitat: Native short-grass and mixed-grass prairie.
Range: Southern Manitoba south through the grasslands of Montana, Wyoming, the Dakotas, Colorado, Nebraska, Kansas, Arizona, and New Mexico into northern Mexico.
Conservation: Species should be monitored as native short-grass habitats are gradually being replaced by agriculture. Suitable habitats may require moderate grazing.
NCGR: G4 - Apparently secure globally, though it might be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: None reported.
Taxonomy Notes:
Images of Polites rhesus
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The map below displays all verified sighting records in the BAMONA database for this species. Each record is indicated with a yellow dot. The orange dots on the map provide access to information about the 400 most recently verified sightings of this species. In some instances, there are several records at the same location. Use the table view to access these records.
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The fifty most recently verified sightings are below. See more recently verified sightings of all species.
| Observation Date | Submitter | Region |
Verified Date |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 16, 1968 | legacy.reporter (Ronald S. Wielgus) | Coconino County, Arizona, United States | January 01, 2011 | Details | |
| April 30, 2000 | legacy.reporter (Jack Harry) | Cascade County, Montana, United States | January 23, 2008 | Details | |
| May 21, 2003 | stevekohler (Steve Kohler) | Broadwater County, Montana, United States | January 23, 2008 | Details | |
| May 13, 2006 | stevekohler (Steve Kohler) | Silver Bow County, Montana, United States | January 23, 2008 | Details | |
| May 13, 2006 | stevekohler (Steve Kohler) | Madison County, Montana, United States | January 23, 2008 | Details | |
| May 09, 2007 | stevekohler (Steve Kohler) | Jefferson County, Montana, United States | January 23, 2008 | Details | |
| May 09, 2007 | stevekohler (Steve Kohler) | Deer Lodge County, Montana, United States | January 23, 2008 | Details | |
| May 10, 2007 | stevekohler (Steve Kohler) | Gallatin County, Montana, United States | January 23, 2008 | Details | |
| May 11, 2007 | stevekohler (Steve Kohler) | Beaverhead County, Montana, United States | January 23, 2008 | Details | |
| January 01, 2004 | legacy.reporter (Christopher J. Durden) | Culberson County, Texas, United States | January 08, 2008 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Rio Arriba County, New Mexico, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Taos County, New Mexico, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Colfax County, New Mexico, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Union County, New Mexico, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Mora County, New Mexico, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | San Miguel County, New Mexico, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Sandoval County, New Mexico, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | McKinley County, New Mexico, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Cibola County, New Mexico, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Grant County, New Mexico, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Otero County, New Mexico, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Lincoln County, New Mexico, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Eddy County, New Mexico, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Quay County, New Mexico, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Catron County, New Mexico, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Chaves County, New Mexico, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Santa Fe County, New Mexico, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Sierra County, New Mexico, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Socorro County, New Mexico, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Harding County, New Mexico, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Arthur County, Nebraska, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Scotts Bluff County, Nebraska, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Cheyenne County, Nebraska, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Kimball County, Nebraska, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Morrill County, Nebraska, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Banner County, Nebraska, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Sheridan County, Nebraska, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Sioux County, Nebraska, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Dawes County, Nebraska, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Coconino County, Arizona, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Yavapai County, Arizona, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Apache County, Arizona, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Navajo County, Arizona, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Yuma County, Colorado, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Baca County, Colorado, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Las Animas County, Colorado, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Morgan County, Colorado, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Weld County, Colorado, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Larimer County, Colorado, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Huerfano County, Colorado, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details |
