''Polites vibex'', or the whirlabout,
funet.fi is a grass skipper in the family

Hesperiidae Skippers are a family of the Lepidoptera (moths and butterflies) named the Hesperiidae. Being diurnal, they are generally called butterflies. They were previously placed in a separate superfamily, Hesperioidea; however, the most recent taxonomy ...

. The whirlabout gets its name from the landing and take off flight patterns of the adult – a circular or vortex or whirling motion. It is resident from the southeastern U.S. and

West Indies The West Indies is a subregion of North America, surrounded by the North Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea that includes 13 independent island countries and 18 dependencies and other territories in three major archipelagos: the Greater A ...

to eastern Mexico through the

tropics The tropics are the regions of Earth surrounding the Equator. They are defined in latitude by the Tropic of Cancer in the Northern Hemisphere at N and the Tropic of Capricorn in the Southern Hemisphere at S. The tropics are also referred to ...

down to Argentina. During the warmer North American months, it can sometimes be found as far north as Ohio, Connecticut, and northeast Iowa. The wingspan is .Whirlabout
Butterflies of Canada North of the equator, it flies all year and migrates north in late summer and fall. The larvae feed on grasses mainly at night. Eggs are white and laid one at a time on the host plants.

Description

The whirlabout exhibits

sexual dimorphism Sexual dimorphism is the condition where the sexes of the same animal and/or plant species exhibit different morphological characteristics, particularly characteristics not directly involved in reproduction. The condition occurs in most ani ...

. Although the two sexes are about the same size with a wingspan of , they vary greatly in coloring and pattern. Both have elongated wings but the male is orange and yellow and the female is dark brown.

Male

From above, the forewing is orange with a black stigma and nearby scales that form a dark, four-sided patch. The forewing also has a jagged black border. The hindwing has a black margin that is smooth inwardly. From below, the hindwing is golden orange with large, dark, smudged spots.

Female

From above, the forewing is dark brown with light colored spots. From below, the hindwing is a greyish yellow-brown with a couple of bands of large brown spots and light central patch with dark scales at edges. File:Whirlabout_male_(Polites_vibex)_male_dorsal.jpg, Male File:Whirlabout_(Polites_vibex)_male_dorsal_(1).jpg, Male File:Polites-vibex-male.jpg, Male File:Whirlabout_(Polites_vibex)_female_ventral.jpg, Female File:Whirlabout (Polites vibex praeceps) mating.jpg, ''P. v. praeceps'' mating in

Tobago Tobago () is an List of islands of Trinidad and Tobago, island and Regions and municipalities of Trinidad and Tobago, ward within the Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. It is located northeast of the larger island of Trini ...

Geographic range

The whirlabout butterfly is resident from the southeastern U.S. and West Indies to eastern Mexico through the tropics down to Argentina. During the warmer months it can sometimes be found as far north as Ohio, Connecticut, and northeast Iowa.

Habitat

Coastal plain grassy areas, fields, dunes, pinewoods, roadsides, disturbed areas, vacant lots, open woodlots, forest edges, parks, lawns, and gardens.

Food resources

Caterpillars eat various grasses. Adults eat the nectar of flowers.

References

External links

Whirlabout
Butterflies and Moths of North America {{Taxonbar, from=Q7210169 Butterflies of North America Hesperiini Polites (butterfly) Butterflies of Trinidad and Tobago