Bug FAQWhirlabout
Polites vibex · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Hesperiidae
The whirlabout butterfly has a wingspan of about 25 to 38 mm (1 to 1.5 in) and males and females look similar in size but differ in color patterns. Its forewings are orange with a black stigma and a dark four-sided patch, while the hindwings are golden orange with large, smudged dark spots.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The wingspan ranges from 25 to 38 mm (0.98 to 1.50 in).
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Caterpillars feed on various grasses. Adults sip nectar from flowers.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Larvae mainly feed on grasses at night. Eggs are white and are laid singly on host plants.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
North of the equator it can be seen flying all year and it migrates north in late summer and fall.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
It is native to the southeastern United States, the West Indies, eastern Mexico, the tropics and down to Argentina.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 23 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Texas, South Carolina, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Louisiana, Colorado, Mississippi.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
Where might I find a whirlabout butterfly?
They inhabit grassy coastal plains, fields, dunes, pinewoods, roadsides, vacant lots, parks, lawns and gardens.
Source: Wikipedia
Do adult whirlabout butterflies feed on nectar?
Yes, adult butterflies sip nectar from flowers.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Hesperiidae)
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Sources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polites_vibex
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-23 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-23.