Whirlabout
Polites vibex (Geyer, 1832)
Family: Hesperiidae
Subfamily: Hesperiinae
Identification: Males and females are very different. Male Upperside is yellow-orange; forewing has a black stigma and neighboring black square patch; black margins of hindwing are smooth inwardly. Underside is yellow-orange; hindwing has a few large blurred black spots. Female: Upperside is dark brown; forewing has a few clear spots. Underside is gray or sooty yellow with a central pale patch outlined with dark scales.
Wing Span: 1 - 1 1/2 inches (2.5 - 3.9 cm).
Life History: Adult flight is quick and darting. Females are usually found in forest openings or edges; males perch to await females during the afternoon. Caterpillars live in a tube of silked-together leaves and feed mostly at night.
Flight: Two broods from April-September in the north; all year in Florida and South Texas.
Caterpillar Hosts: Grasses including Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon), St. Augustine grass (Stenotaphrum secundatum), and thin paspalum (Paspalum setaceum).
Adult Food: Nectar from flowers including shepherd\'s needle and lantana.
Habitat: Scrubby or open habitats including dunes, fields, pinewoods, roadsides, forest openings, yards, and parks.
Range: Southeastern United States and the West Indies south through eastern Mexico and central America to Argentina. Periodically strays north to northeast Iowa, northern Ohio, and Connecticut.
Conservation: Not required.
NCGR: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: None reported.
Comments: NULL
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 654 verified sightings
Observation date: Sep 17, 2022
Submitted by: Dennis Forsythe
Region: Calhoun County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Sep 24, 2022
Observation date: Oct 06, 2021
Submitted by: twofried
Region: Texas, United States, Victoria County
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Sep 15, 2022
Observation date: Oct 06, 2021
Submitted by: twofried
Region: Texas, United States, Victoria County
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 23, 2022
Observation date: Dec 02, 2021
Submitted by: kye
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 23, 2022
Observation date: Aug 19, 2022
Submitted by: Dennis Forsythe
Region: Charleston County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Aug 23, 2022
Observation date: Jan 15, 2022
Submitted by: guy_incognito
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 22, 2022
Observation date: Apr 25, 2022
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 22, 2022
Observation date: May 05, 2022
Submitted by: Debo Boddiford
Region: Effingham County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Aug 13, 2022
Observation date: Jul 19, 2022
Submitted by: KShell
Region: Dixie County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jul 20, 2022
Observation date: Jul 12, 2022
Submitted by: Winston22
Region: Leon County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jul 12, 2022
Observation date: Jul 08, 2022
Submitted by: rlcook
Region: Perry County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 09, 2022
Observation date: Jun 19, 2022
Submitted by: sgensits
Region: Leon County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jun 20, 2022
Observation date: May 24, 2022
Submitted by: sgensits
Region: Wakulla County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: May 26, 2022
Observation date: May 21, 2022
Submitted by: Brian Ahern
Region: Pasco County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: May 23, 2022
Observation date: Oct 05, 2021
Submitted by: Cheri Phillips
Region: Duval County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: May 20, 2022
Observation date: Apr 26, 2022
Submitted by: sgensits
Region: Leon County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Apr 26, 2022
Observation date: Apr 23, 2022
Submitted by: H Hooper
Region: Leon County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Apr 24, 2022
Observation date: Apr 08, 2022
Submitted by: sgensits
Region: Leon County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Apr 09, 2022
Observation date: Mar 04, 2022
Submitted by: Joceb2005
Region: Collier County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Mar 08, 2022
Observation date: Aug 04, 2018
Submitted by: Mark Salvato
Region: Hillsborough County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Oct 29, 2021
Observation date: Oct 18, 2021
Submitted by: Jonathan Clark
Region: Grant Parish, Louisiana, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Oct 29, 2021
Observation date: Oct 20, 2021
Submitted by: storolaf
Region: Charleston County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Oct 21, 2021
Observation date: Sep 26, 2021
Submitted by: Dennis Forsythe
Region: Charleston County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Oct 17, 2021
Observation date: Mar 23, 2019
Submitted by: Mark Salvato
Region: Indian River County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Oct 16, 2021
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