Unidentified Visitor

I saw this fellow/lady land on top of my tallest Zinnia today and grabbed my zoom to get a shot of it. I've never seen a double-winged butterfly like this before. It's body and eyes looked similar to a Skipper but I could not find a picture of any butterfly or moth that matched it. So who knows what it is!? I'm just glad he/she was into showing off those amazing wings to me!

I posted this picture on the facebook page of my camera club and was directed by a friend to a Skipper I hadn't heard of before but it wasn't the same. I was about to leave the search page when I saw "related searches" with pictures- and there it was! So now I know this is a Whirlabout, a butterfly in the Skipper family but with its own unique twist. When it takes off to fly it whirls about like a helicopter circles a landing pad.

[Milanie]

I'm going to be watching to see if someone can identify it - so unusual - not in any of my books. Great clear shot of it.

[Myrna O'Hara]

nice

[Ann H. LeFevre]

@milaniet Thanks for checking. I'm really stumped by this one!

[Ann H. LeFevre]

@sailingmusic Thank you Myrna!

[Brigette]

Beautifully surreal

[Ann H. LeFevre]

@brigette Thank you Brigette!

[Harry J Benson]

Beautiful capture

[Kerri Michaels]

cool fav

[Babs]

I can't identify it but it is a beauty.

[Issi Bannerman]

Nice catch!

[Diana]

What a stunner, maybe you discovered a new species!

[Orion5D]

didn't know that this exists, very exclusive shot. You were lucky and obviously fast to catch it. Very nice.

[KoalaGardens🐨]

now that is one instant FAV

[judith deacon]

Terrific capture, you'll have us all googling moths until we can identify it!

[Mallory]

Absolutely stunning!

[Wylie]

I was going to say a Skipper before I read your text. Neither a butterfly nor a moth.

[Louise]

Very interesting!

[Bri]

Beautiful capture

[gloria jones]

Lovely capture, pov

[Clare Gadsby]

what a glorious specimen. nicely composed

[Nina Ganci]

wow
incredible pov and capture
fav

[katy]

If it is a new species and you get to name it I want you to call it Ann foolery! An absolutely amazing photo of it whatever it is and a definite FAV (Love your tags too!)

[Kathy]

Looks a lot like it might be the back end of a hummingbird moth of some sort. Nice close up.

[haskar]

Great pov and focus. Lovely shot.

[Walks @ 7]

Excellent shot, maybe consider sending a copy to the county extension agent near you.

[Pyrrhula]

A beautul pov. composition and capture .Fav.

[Carole Sandford]

Wonderful pov! Beautiful capture!

[Ann H. LeFevre]

@hjbenson @moviegal1 @onewing @jamibann @ludwigsdiana @orion5d @koalagardens @judithdeacon @sunnygirl @pusspup @lmsa @bybri @seattlite @pistache @ninaganci @grammyn @randystreat @haskar @joysabin @pyrrhula @carole_sandford

Thank you Harry, Kerri, Babs, Issi, Diana, Orion, Katrina, Judith, Mallory, Wylie, Louise, Bri, Gloria, Clare, Nina, Katy, Kathy, Haskar, Joy, Ferry, and Carole!

Thank you so much for all the views, comments and favs!

@joysabin Great idea! I will try a couple of the environmental centers here.

[amyK]

Spectacular shot

[Ann H. LeFevre]

@amyk Thanks Amy!

[Monique]

Gorgeous

[Rosie Kind]

Beautiful

[mittens (Marilyn)]

Great pov and beautiful colors.

[Ann H. LeFevre]

@momamo @rosiekind @mittens

Thank you Monique, Rosie, and Marilyn!

@milaniet @sailingmusic @brigette @hjbenson @moviegal1 @onewing @jamibann @ludwigsdiana @orion5d @koalagardens @judithdeacon @sunnygirl @pusspup @lmsa @bybri @seattlite @pistache @ninaganci @grammyn @randystreat @haskar @joysabin @pyrrhula @carole_sandford @amyk


I just wanted to let you all know I found out that this is indeed a butterfly that goes by the name "Whirlabout" because when it takes off to fly it whirls about like a helicopter. Polites Vibex is the Latin name and it belongs in the category of a Skipper. You learn something new every day here!

[katy]

@olivetreeann thanks so much for the update Ann

[Vesna]

Unusual wings!

[Ann H. LeFevre]

@vesna0210 Thank you Vesna! I had never seen anything like this before. I will probably never see another one again as well.