Long-tailed Skipper
Urbanus proteus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Family: Hesperiidae
Subfamily: Pyrginae
Identification: Tails are long. Upperside is dark blackish brown; body and wing bases are iridescent blue-green. Males have a costal fold enclosing scent scales on the leading edge of the forewing. Dark row on underside of hindwing is a complete band.
Wing Span: 1 3/4 - 2 5/16 inches (4.5 - 6 cm).
Life History: Adults roost upside down under leaves and limbs. To seek females, males perch 3-6 feet above the ground in sunlit openings. Females lay eggs under leaves in clusters of up to 20. Caterpillars feed on leaves and live in shelters of rolled leaves.
Flight: Two to three broods throughout the year in south Florida and South Texas.
Caterpillar Hosts: Vine legumes including various beans (Phaseolus), hog peanuts (Amphicarpa bracteata), beggar's ticks (Desmodium), blue peas (Clitoria), and wisteria (Wisteria).
Adult Food: Flower nectar from a variety of plants including bougainvillea, lantana, and shepherd's needle.
Habitat: Brushy fields, edges of woods, gardens, and other disturbed open habitats.
Range: Argentina north through Central America, the West Indies, and Mexico to peninsular Florida and South Texas. Occasionally strays and colonizes north to Connecticut, southern Illinois, eastern Kansas, southern Arizona, and southern California.
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: Urbanus proteus caterpillars are sometimes pests on snap beans.
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 265 - 288 of 2030 verified sightings
Observation date: Oct 03, 2019
Submitted by: Kate Marie
Region: Brunswick County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Dec 05, 2020
Observation date: Oct 14, 2019
Submitted by: FLJohnson
Region: Brunswick County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Dec 05, 2020
Observation date: Aug 22, 2020
Submitted by: agbowman
Region: Durham County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Dec 04, 2020
Observation date: Sep 03, 2020
Submitted by: TioCeBoji
Region: Buncombe County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Dec 04, 2020
Observation date: Sep 11, 2020
Submitted by: JuliGerken
Region: Buncombe County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Dec 04, 2020
Observation date: Oct 01, 2020
Submitted by: Zephyr68
Region: Brunswick County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Dec 03, 2020
Observation date: Oct 14, 2020
Submitted by: Richard Beacham
Region: Pender County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Dec 03, 2020
Observation date: Sep 26, 2020
Submitted by: bjones7777
Region: Decatur County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: dbruce
Verified date: Nov 28, 2020
Observation date: Oct 07, 2020
Submitted by: lblaforest
Region: Anderson County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: dbruce
Verified date: Nov 28, 2020
Observation date: Sep 13, 2020
Submitted by: Traveling_gopher
Region: Loudon County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: dbruce
Verified date: Nov 28, 2020
Observation date: Sep 14, 2020
Submitted by: jtbailey
Region: Greene County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: dbruce
Verified date: Nov 28, 2020
Observation date: Aug 29, 2020
Submitted by: AJ Trently
Region: Decatur County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: dbruce
Verified date: Nov 28, 2020
Observation date: Nov 22, 2020
Submitted by: sgensits
Region: Leon County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Nov 22, 2020
Observation date: Nov 19, 2020
Submitted by: Howard Nemerov
Region: Bastrop County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Nov 22, 2020
Observation date: Nov 14, 2020
Submitted by: Michael Weisensee
Region: Charlotte County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Nov 15, 2020
Observation date: Oct 23, 2020
Submitted by: ReggieGal
Region: Jasper County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Nov 09, 2020
Observation date: Nov 01, 2020
Submitted by: spmaestro
Region: Ellis County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Nov 08, 2020
Observation date: Nov 03, 2020
Submitted by: Dennis Forsythe
Region: Charleston County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Nov 04, 2020
Observation date: Oct 28, 2020
Submitted by: Blueberry
Region: Anderson County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Oct 31, 2020
Observation date: Oct 22, 2020
Submitted by: JoyceSw
Region: Marion County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Oct 25, 2020
Observation date: Oct 23, 2020
Submitted by: michael3638
Region: Simpson County, Mississippi, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Oct 25, 2020
Observation date: Oct 14, 2020
Submitted by: Cardinal52
Region: St. Johns County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Oct 21, 2020
Observation date: Oct 19, 2020
Submitted by: rstalnaker
Region: Seminole County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Oct 19, 2020
Observation date: Oct 19, 2020
Submitted by: Bonator
Region: St. Johns County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Oct 19, 2020
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