Crossline Skipper
Polites origenes (Fabricius, 1793)
Family: Hesperiidae
Subfamily: Hesperiinae
Identification: 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.
Wing Span: 1 1/8 - 1 1/2 inches (2.9 - 3.8 cm).
Life History: Males perch in open grassy areas most of the day to await receptive females. Courtship occurs from midday to mid-afternoon. Third- and fourth-stage caterpillars hibernate.
Flight: One brood from June-August in the north, two broods from May-September in the south.
Caterpillar Hosts: Purpletop (Tridens flavus), little bluestem (Andropogon scoparius), and other grasses.
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.
Habitat: Open grassy areas including prairies hills, barrens, power line cuts, old fields, forest openings.
Range: Western North Dakota east across central Minnesota, southern Ontario, and southern Quebec to central Maine; south to northeast Texas, the Gulf Coast, and northern Florida. A separate population (P. o. rhena) occurs along the Rocky Mountains from northern Colorado to northeastern New Mexico.
Conservation: Populations of subspecies rhena, found in patches of all tall-grass prairies, should be conserved wherever found.
NCGR: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: None reported.
Comments: NULL
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 25 - 48 of 1769 verified sightings
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Observation date: Jun 04, 2022
Submitted by: Allen B
Region: Fentress County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Aug 22, 2022
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Observation date: Aug 11, 2022
Submitted by: jmgesell
Region: Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Aug 12, 2022
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Observation date: Jul 26, 2022
Submitted by: jmgesell
Region: Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jul 29, 2022
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Observation date: Jul 15, 2022
Submitted by: jmgesell
Region: Monroe County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jul 29, 2022
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Observation date: Jul 20, 2022
Submitted by: Sometimes
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 21, 2022
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Observation date: Jul 02, 2020
Submitted by: naj.pilla
Region: Lake County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 09, 2022
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Observation date: Jul 08, 2022
Submitted by: Sometimes
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 09, 2022
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Observation date: Jul 04, 2022
Submitted by: rapids
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 04, 2022
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Observation date: Jul 04, 2022
Submitted by: rapids
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 04, 2022
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Observation date: Aug 04, 2021
Submitted by: c4c
Region: Bedford County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: drerbium
Verified date: Jul 02, 2022
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Observation date: Jul 01, 2022
Submitted by: Sometimes
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 01, 2022
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Observation date: Jun 30, 2022
Submitted by: rapids
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 01, 2022
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Observation date: Jun 09, 2022
Submitted by: StevebrownLepid
Region: Lynchburg, Virginia, United States
Verified by: drerbium
Verified date: Jun 27, 2022
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Observation date: Jun 04, 2022
Submitted by: Allen B
Region: Fentress County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: Allen B
Verified date: Jun 10, 2022
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Observation date: Aug 16, 2020
Submitted by: webielenberg
Region: Blount County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Jun 01, 2022
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Observation date: Jul 13, 2021
Submitted by: dave mcelveen
Region: Billings County, North Dakota, United States
Verified by: stevekohler
Verified date: Jun 01, 2022
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Observation date: Jul 13, 2021
Submitted by: dave mcelveen
Region: Billings County, North Dakota, United States
Verified by: stevekohler
Verified date: Jun 01, 2022
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Observation date: Jul 13, 2021
Submitted by: dave mcelveen
Region: Billings County, North Dakota, United States
Verified by: stevekohler
Verified date: Jun 01, 2022
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Observation date: Sep 14, 2021
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: Marion County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: May 31, 2022
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Observation date: Jun 06, 2012
Submitted by: gary yankech
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Apr 07, 2022
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Observation date: Jul 19, 2021
Submitted by: Tom Dudones
Region: Essex County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Mar 09, 2022
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Observation date: Jul 05, 2014
Submitted by: crx2aj3
Region: Albany County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Mar 09, 2022
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Observation date: Jun 04, 2021
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: Franklin County, Arkansas, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Feb 07, 2022
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Observation date: Jun 17, 2017
Submitted by: trinectes
Region: Montgomery County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 09, 2021
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