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Polites origenes

(Crossline Skipper)

Overview

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Interesting Facts

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Common Names

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Common Names in English:

Crossline Skipper

Description

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Family Hesperiidae

'The Hesperiidae are members of the Superfamily Hesperioidea. Worldwide in distribution, skippers are richest in the tropics. More than 3,500 species are described, with approximately 275 in North America, many of which are found only in Arizona and Texas. Most skippers are small to medium, usually orange, brown, black, white, or gray. A few have iridescent colors. Skippers have large eyes, short antennae (often with hooked clubs), stout bodies, and three pairs of walking legs . Their flight is often rapid, making wing movement appear blurred. Adults of most species have long probicscises and feed on floral nectar, but some also take up nutrients from bird droppings. Males have scent scales found in modified forewing patches. Males of most species locate mates by perching (grass and giant-skippers), though some patrol, especially in the open-winged skippers. Globular eggs are laid singly.

'[1]

Subfamily Hesperiinae

The grass skippers are members of the Family Hesperiidae. Distributed worldwide, they comprise more than 2,000 species, most of which are found in the American tropics. The small to medium-sized adults usually have abruptly angled antennae with an apiculus at the tip . Adults of many temperate species are predominantly orange, while brown is the most common color of the tropical species. Male forewings usually have a brand or stigma with specialized scales . Most species have long proboscises and are avid flower-visitors. Adults flight is rapid, and perching posture is unique: the hindwings are opened at a wider angle than the forewings. Males of most species perch while looking for mates. Caterpillars feed on monocotyledons (grasses and allied plants ) and live in silken leaf nests that sometimes extend underground. Grass skippers typically overwinter as caterpillars within their shelters .[2]

Physical Description

Species Polites origenes

Upperside is dark brown with orange markings. Female usually lacks orange along the forewing costa and has a square spot below the end of the cell ; male has a long, straight forewing stigma. Underside of hindwing is orange-brown with a faint band of spots. (ref. 105067)

Size/Age/Growth

Wing span : 1 1/8 - 1 1/2 inches (2.9 - 3.8 cm). (ref. 105067)

Habitat

Widespread in dry to mesic grassy areas; habitats include fields , wooded edges , powerline clearings, openings in longleaf pine/scrub oak woods , etc. Present in savannas , but less numerous there than the previous species. Far outnumbers the similar Tawny-edged Skipper in dry sites. (ref. 104738)

Open grassy areas including prairies hills , barrens , power line cuts , old fields, forest openings. (ref. 105067)

Biology

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Diet

The foodplants are grasses, with purple top (Tridens flavus) being favored, according to the literature. The nectar plants are very varied. Colicroot (Aletris farinosa) is favored by individuals of the first brood; in fact, it is often the most commonly seen skipper nectaring on this flower. Blazing-stars (Liatris spp. ) are a favorite of the second brood. (ref. 104738)

Caterpillar hosts: Purpletop (Tridens flavus), little bluestem (Andropogon scoparius), and other grasses. (ref. 105067)

Adult food: White, pink, or purple flowers are preferred including purple vetch, red clover, selfheal, dogbane, shrub houstonia, New Jersey tea, and New York ironweed. (ref. 105067)

Behavior

Flight period: Two broods in NC; downstate, present from mid-May to early July, and mid- or late July to mid-October. In the mountains, it is found mainly in June and July, with a small second brood in September. (ref. 104738)

Taxonomy

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Notes

Name Status: Accepted Name .

Similar Species

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Members of the genus Polites

ZipcodeZoo has pages for 26 species and subspecies in this genus:

P. baracoa (Baracoa Skipper) · P. carus (Carus Skipper) · P. coras (Peck's Skipper) · P. draco (Draco Skipper) · P. mardon (Mardon Skipper) · P. mardon klamathensis (Mardon Skipper) · P. mardon mardon (Mardon Skipper) · P. mystic (Long Dash) · P. mystic mystic (Long Dash) · P. origenes (Crossline Skipper) · P. origenes rhena (Rhena Skipper) · P. peckius (Peck's Skipper) · P. rhesus (Rhesus Skipper) · P. sabuleti (Sandhill Skipper) · P. sabuleti albamontana (White Mountain Skipper) · P. sabuleti channelensis (Sandhill Skipper) · P. sabuleti ministigma (Sandhill Skipper) · P. sabuleti nigrescens (Dark Sandhill Skipper) · P. sabuleti sinemaculata (Bleached Sandhill Skipper) · P. sabuleti tecumseh (Tecumseh Skipper) · P. sonora (Sonora Skipper) · P. sonora flavaventris (Sonora Skipper) · P. sonora longinqua (Sonora Skipper) · P. sonora siris (Dog Star Skipper) · P. themistocles (Tawny-Edged Skipper) · P. vibex (Whirlabout)

More Info

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Further Reading

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Notes

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Contributors

Data Sources

Accessed through GBIF Data Portal February 26, 2008:

Identifiers

Footnotes

  1. http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/taxonomy?f=19&sci=Hesperiidae&com=Skippers [back]
  2. http://bugguide.net/index.php?q=search&keys=Stinga&search=Search [back]
Last Revised: 7/23/2012