New Jersey Butterfly Club

Long-tailed Skipper

Urbanus proteus

Identification: Small—1.8" (almost as large as Silver-spotted Skipper). Above: FW dark brown, with pale, squarish, translucent spots (including a median band). Iridescent blue on inner FW, most of HW, and down onto the tails. Long, broad tails on HW are distinctive when present, but may be missing. Below: FW and HW brown with 2 darker brown bands across HW. Translucent pale spots show in FW. When tailless could be mistaken for a cloudywing from below, but shows much more contrast on HW.

NJ Status and Distribution: A vagrant from the deep south whose numbers fluctuate. Most often reported from Cape May Co., where it occurs almost annually, sometimes in significant numbers. Goes unreported most years from the northern counties.

Habitat: Open, often disturbed, areas with abundant flowers, and—most often—gardens.

Flight Period: Most individuals start showing up in late summer and fall (August into October). Extreme dates: North Jersey 7/29—10/8; South Jersey 6/30—11/18.

Caterpillar Food Plants: Various legumes (peas and beans), including tick-trefoils (Desmodium).

Overwintering Stage: Not known to overwinter in NJ.

Good Locations: Gardens in Cape May.

Comments: No other spreadwing skipper in NJ is tailed or shows that iridescent blue above. Finding one of these exotic-looking butterflies is usually the highlight of any butterfly outing.