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Species Detail
Rhesus Skipper
Polites rhesus (W.H. Edwards, 1878)
Attributes of Polites rhesusFamily: Skippers (Hesperiidae) Subfamily: Grass Skippers (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. 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. Wing span: 1 - 1 1/4 inches (2.5 - 3.2 cm). 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. NatureServe Global Status: G4 - Apparently secure globally, though it might be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery. Management needs: None reported. | Documented Records for Polites rhesus
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