Tailed Orange
Pyrisitia proterpia (Fabricius, 1775)
Family: Pieridae
Subfamily: Coliadinae
Identification: Two sexual and two seasonal forms. Upperside orange; tip of forewing squared off. Male with black forewing costa; females with black forewing costa, apex, and outer margin. Winter (dry-season) form with tail-like projections on hindwing; summer (wet-season) form without tails.
Wing Span: 1 3/4 - 2 1/4 inches (4.5 - 5.7 cm).
Life History: Males patrol for females on flats and in gullies. The dry-season form is non-reproductive until the onset of the rainy season.
Flight: August-November in Texas; throughout the year in the tropics.
Caterpillar Hosts: In Texas, mesquite (Prosopis) and senna (Cassia) species; Desmodium in the tropics (all in the pea family [Fabaceae]).
Adult Food: Nectar from many species of flowers.
Habitat: Desert and subtropical open and disturbed areas including scrub, pastures, forest edges.
Range: Peru north to Mexico; Greater Antilles; strays to southern Texas, southwest New Mexico, and southeast Arizona; rarely to Nebraska and Kansas.
Conservation: Not usually required.
NCGR: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: None reported.
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 182 verified sightings
Observation date: Nov 28, 2022
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: Nayarit, Mexico
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Feb 26, 2023
Observation date: Nov 25, 2022
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: Nayarit, Mexico
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Feb 26, 2023
Observation date: Dec 03, 2022
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: Nayarit, Mexico
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Feb 26, 2023
Observation date: Dec 01, 2022
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: Nayarit, Mexico
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Feb 25, 2023
Observation date: Feb 03, 2019
Submitted by: David F Smith
Region: Sonora, Mexico
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jan 21, 2023
Observation date: Oct 27, 2022
Submitted by: mfernandabarraza
Region: Sonora, Mexico
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jan 02, 2023
Observation date: Jan 03, 2019
Submitted by: David F Smith
Region: Sonora, Mexico
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Dec 12, 2022
Observation date: Nov 17, 2022
Submitted by: Rmclaughlin
Region: Pima County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Dec 03, 2022
Observation date: Nov 13, 2022
Submitted by: Marta Reece
Region: Luna County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Nov 28, 2022
Observation date: Oct 19, 2022
Submitted by: grosenberry
Region: Cochise County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Oct 31, 2022
Observation date: Oct 28, 2022
Submitted by: cjgoin
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Oct 29, 2022
Observation date: Jan 15, 2020
Submitted by: Geni Certain
Region: Guerrero, Mexico
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Oct 14, 2022
Observation date: Aug 16, 2017
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: Panama
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Oct 14, 2022
Observation date: Aug 27, 2013
Submitted by: Glynjer
Region: Colón Province, Panama
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Oct 13, 2022
Observation date: Aug 22, 2017
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: Panama
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Oct 12, 2022
Observation date: Jul 18, 2017
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: Chiapas, Mexico
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Oct 09, 2022
Observation date: Aug 18, 2022
Submitted by: Paul Prappas
Region: Panama
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Oct 03, 2022
Observation date: Sep 18, 2022
Submitted by: Janet Ruth
Region: Sandoval County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Sep 18, 2022
Observation date: Jan 29, 2014
Submitted by: janazak
Region: Morelos, Mexico
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Sep 16, 2022
Observation date: Jan 12, 2016
Submitted by: Nick Moore
Region: Baja California Sur, Mexico
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Sep 16, 2022
Observation date: Feb 22, 2014
Submitted by: janazak
Region: Tabasco, Mexico
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Sep 16, 2022
Observation date: Feb 22, 2014
Submitted by: janazak
Region: Tabasco, Mexico
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Sep 16, 2022
Observation date: Aug 23, 2022
Submitted by: hasfitz5
Region: Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Sep 11, 2022
Observation date: Dec 05, 2016
Submitted by: bobscafe
Region: Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Aug 01, 2022
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