White-striped Longtail Skipper

This long tailed skipper is a regular in south Texas flies all year long. Also strays to north central Texas as well. A periodic resident of southern Arizona and New Mexico.

Adults often perch with their wings closed. Female has multiple broods annually.

Topside (dorsal view) brown with glassy white markings on forewings. Underside (ventral view) has a prominent white stripe on the hindwing which makes this butterfly easy to identify. There is a dark wedge on the underside forewing tips. Underside is mottled white and brown. Tails are very long!

Larval host: Wild beans, milk peas and other viny legumes. They use native Texas Snout Bean in Starr County. Texas.

Caterpillars form leaf nests and are greenish white in color with ... read morea couple of yellow stripes running the length of the body. Head is orangish red to darker. Neck is orange with a dark base. Legs are orange and prolegs are a fuzzy yellow. Cute little feet!!!

As the caterpillar pupates it exudes a waxy substance that covers the chrysalis.