Long-tailed Skipper
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| Urbanus proteus (Linnaeus, 1758) |
The Long-tailed Skipper (Urbanus proteus) is a spread-winged skipper butterfly found throughout tropical America and into the southern part of the United States of America. It is a showy butterfly, with wings of light brown tinted with iridescent blue, and two long tails extending from the hindwings. The robust body is light blue dorsally. It has a large head, prominent eyes, and a wingspan between 4.5 and 6 centimeters.
The caterpillar of this skipper is a common pest of crops, especially beans, in the southern United States. For this reason, it is sometimes called the bean leafroller in that area. The caterpillars feed on leaves and then roll the leaves around themselves to pupate. The adults feed on nectar from flowers.
[edit] References:
- Butterflies and Moths of North America Fact Page
- U. proteus as a pest species
- Butterflies of Houston and Southeast Texas, by John & Gloria Tveten
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