Bug FAQWhite-spot Sandman
Spialia spio · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Hesperiidae
Also called: Mountain Sandman, Spio Grizzled Skipper
The White-spot Sandman is a skipper butterfly in the family Hesperiidae. Males have a wingspan of about 22 to 29 mm and females 28 to 31 mm. It lives in tropical Africa, south-western Arabia and eastern South Africa.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Spialia spio, known as the mountain sandman or Spio grizzled skipper, belongs to the butterfly family Hesperiidae.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Males measure 22 to 29 mm across the wings, while females are larger at 28 to 31 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It is found in tropical Africa, south-western Arabia and the eastern part of South Africa.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
The caterpillars feed on plants such as Lavatera, several Hibiscus species, Sida, Pavonia, Triumfetta and many Hermannia species.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Adults can be seen flying throughout the year in warm areas, while in cooler regions they appear from August to April.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
In South Africa the butterfly is most common in the warmer months, but in milder climates it is present year-round.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its native range includes tropical Africa and south-western Arabia.
Source: Wikipedia
Questions people ask
What plants do the larvae eat?
The larvae feed on Lavatera, Hibiscus, Sida, Pavonia, Triumfetta and Hermannia species.
Source: Wikipedia
When are adult White-spot Sandmen active?
Adults are on the wing all year in warm areas and from August to April in cooler regions.
Source: Wikipedia
How large are these butterflies?
Males have a wingspan of 22 to 29 mm and females 28 to 31 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where does this species live?
It occurs in tropical Africa, south-western Arabia and eastern South Africa.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Hesperiidae)
Sources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spialia_spio
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-23 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-23.