Polites themistocles
Size:
Wingspan is 7/8 - 1 1/4 inches.
Similar Species:
Crossline Skipper
Eufala Skipper
Habitat:
Power line clearings, open weedy fields, savannas and roadsides.
Range/Abundance:
Uncommon in most
of the region. In NC and SC it is found primarily in the coastal plain,
sandhills and piedmont. In VA and WV it
is found at higher elevations primarily.
Flight Period:
Adults fly from early May until late October in two broods with gaps between
broods.
Larval Host Plants:
Grasses including Panic grasses Panicum sp., Slender Crabgrass
Digitaria filiformis, and Bluegrass Poa pratensis
Comments:
This species is tiny and difficult to tell from the slightly larger Crossline
Skipper especially when worn.
The top photo was taken in Clermont Co., OH on August 27, 2003. The second photo was taken at the Chilo Lock #34 Nature Preserve Park in Clermont Co., OH on August 30, 2002. The bottom photo was taken in the Green Bottoms Wildlife Management Area in Cabell Co., WV on August 27, 2002.
