Polites origenes
Size:
Wingspan is 1 1/8 - 1 1/2 inches.
Similar Species:
Tawny-edged Skipper
Dotted Skipper (rare)
Habitat:
Grassy areas, meadows, weedy fields, power line clearings, open areas
in pine savannas and roadsides.
Range/Abundance:
Common in the piedmont and sandhills.
Uncommon in the coastal plain and mountains.
Flight Period:
Adults fly from mid May until late October in two broods with a gap between
broods.
Larval Host Plants:
Grasses including Purpletop Tridens flavus, Little Bluestem Andropogon
scoparius
Comments:
This species can be very abundant at times! When worn, they can be challenging
to identify if not impossible.
The top photo was taken at Penny's Bend Nature Preserve in Durham Co., NC on May 31, 2003. The second and third photos were taken in Westchester Co., NY on July 10, 2003. The bottom photo was taken at the Pleasant Green Access on the Eno River in Orange Co., NC on May 30, 2004.
