Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

Eight-spotted Longtail
Polythrix octomaculata (Sepp, [1844])


Family: Hesperiidae
Subfamily: Pyrginae
Identification: Females have long hindwing tails; males have shorter tails and no costal fold. Wings are brown; forewing with only 1 submarginal brown spot near the rear of the wing. Spot near the base of forewing underside is faint or absent; underside hindwing of female often has a smeared white patch.
Wing Span: 1 3/8 - 1 13/16 inches (3.5 - 4.6 cm).
Life History: Not reported. When inactive, adults perch under large leaves.
Flight: Many flights from March-November in Mexico; March and August-October in South Texas.
Caterpillar Hosts: Tree and shrub legumes and Pterocarpus.
Adult Food: Flower nectar.
Habitat: Shady areas and streams in tropical forest or scrub.
Range: Argentina north through tropical America to Mexico and Haiti. Occasionally strays to the lower Rio Grande Valley, Texas.
Conservation: Not necessary for a rare stray.
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
Get your BAMONA Gear!

Hoodies and t-shirts in two designs!


Advertise with us!

Do you have a product or service that you think would interest BAMONA users? If you would like to advertise on this website, contact us by email, or use the contact form and select the "Advertising" category.