About Polites vibex (Geyer, 1832)
Polites vibex, commonly called the whirlabout, displays clear sexual dimorphism. Males and females are around the same size, with a wingspan ranging from 25 to 38 mm (0.98 to 1.50 inches), but they differ significantly in color and wing pattern. Both sexes have elongated wings: males are orange and yellow, while females are dark brown. This butterfly species is permanently resident across a range from the southeastern United States and West Indies to eastern Mexico, extending through tropical regions all the way south to Argentina. In warmer months, individuals can occasionally be found as far north as Ohio, Connecticut, and northeast Iowa. Its typical habitats include grassy areas of the coastal plain, fields, dunes, pinewoods, roadsides, disturbed areas, vacant lots, open woodlots, forest edges, parks, lawns, and gardens. Caterpillars of this species feed on a variety of grasses, while adult whirlabout butterflies feed on flower nectar.
