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
Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 526 verified sightings
Observation date: Nov 14, 2013
Submitted by: Tommie Rogers
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Jun 06, 2018
Observation date: May 20, 2018
Submitted by: misspt
Region: Perry County, Mississippi, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: May 30, 2018
Observation date: Apr 29, 2018
Submitted by: H Hooper
Region: Wakulla County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: May 22, 2018
Observation date: May 13, 2018
Submitted by: wallap74
Region: Washington Parish, Louisiana, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: May 20, 2018
Observation date: Mar 24, 2018
Submitted by: AJVanh.arch
Region: Martin County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Apr 26, 2018
Observation date: Mar 24, 2018
Submitted by: mellielong
Region: Hillsborough County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Apr 12, 2018
Observation date: Mar 02, 2018
Submitted by: mellielong
Region: Hillsborough County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Mar 23, 2018
Observation date: Feb 21, 2018
Submitted by: mellielong
Region: Hillsborough County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Feb 22, 2018
Observation date: Oct 07, 2017
Submitted by: wallap74
Region: Vernon Parish, Louisiana, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Jan 30, 2018
Observation date: Apr 11, 2017
Submitted by: jjflossem
Region: Hernando County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jan 24, 2018
Observation date: Apr 23, 2017
Submitted by: jjflossem
Region: Hernando County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jan 24, 2018
Observation date: Aug 12, 2017
Submitted by: hflamholtz
Region: Richland County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Nov 16, 2017
Observation date: Oct 03, 2017
Submitted by: Jeff Trahan
Region: Grant Parish, Louisiana, United States
Verified by: Jeff Trahan
Verified date: Oct 04, 2017
Observation date: Feb 03, 2017
Submitted by: Kathy Brown
Region: Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Aug 31, 2017
Observation date: Jul 18, 2017
Submitted by: michaeldavis
Region: Lexington County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 29, 2017
Observation date: Apr 08, 2017
Submitted by: Steve Krotzer
Region: Greene County, Mississippi, United States
Verified by: rickypatterson
Verified date: Apr 17, 2017
Observation date: Mar 21, 2017
Submitted by: Jeff Trahan
Region: Vernon Parish, Louisiana, United States
Verified by: Jeff Trahan
Verified date: Apr 14, 2017
Observation date: Apr 08, 2017
Submitted by: Jeff Trahan
Region: Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana, United States
Verified by: Jeff Trahan
Verified date: Apr 09, 2017
Observation date: Apr 08, 2017
Submitted by: Jeff Trahan
Region: Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana, United States
Verified by: Jeff Trahan
Verified date: Apr 09, 2017
Observation date: Mar 20, 2017
Submitted by: mellielong
Region: Hillsborough County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Mar 22, 2017
Observation date: Mar 21, 2017
Submitted by: AJVanh.arch
Region: Martin County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Mar 22, 2017
Observation date: Mar 20, 2017
Submitted by: mellielong
Region: Hillsborough County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Mar 22, 2017
Observation date: Sep 07, 2015
Submitted by: John B Cole
Region: Conecuh County, Alabama, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Oct 27, 2016
Observation date: Oct 22, 2016
Submitted by: hunter58
Region: Hernando County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Oct 22, 2016
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