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.
Comments: NULL
Pollinator Week was June 20-26, 2022!
Butterflies and moths are accidental pollinators of many flowering plants. While most species do not have special structures to carry pollen, they do brush against pollen and transfer it to other flowers.
Did you know? The Eastern Tailed-Blue (Cupido comyntas) flies close to the ground and uses its short proboscis to probe flowers of wild strawberry, white sweet clover, and other low-lying plants.
Verified Sightings
Displaying 25 - 48 of 110 verified sightings
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Socorro County, New Mexico, United States
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Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
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Region: Mesa County, Colorado, United States
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Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
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Region: Corson County, South Dakota, United States
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Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
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Region: Durango, Mexico
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Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
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Region: Converse County, Wyoming, United States
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Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
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Region: Coconino County, Arizona, United States
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Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
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Region: Banner County, Nebraska, United States
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Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
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Region: Navajo County, Arizona, United States
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Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
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Region: Kimball County, Nebraska, United States
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Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
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Region: Alamosa County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
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Region: San Miguel County, New Mexico, United States
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Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
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Region: Jefferson County, Colorado, United States
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Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
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Region: Quay County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
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Region: Cheyenne County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
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Region: Harding County, South Dakota, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
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Region: Scott County, Kansas, United States
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Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
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Region: Campbell County, Wyoming, United States
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Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
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Region: McKenzie County, North Dakota, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
Observation date: unknown
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Region: Las Animas County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
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Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Rio Arriba County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Fremont County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Cibola County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Chaffee County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Santa Fe County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
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