Long-Tailed Skipper
October 2016
The Long-Tailed Skipper (Urbanus proteus) is a gorgeous and unmistakable spread-wing skipper with a beautiful blue-green metallic color on the body, bold pearly-white spotting on the wings, frosted edges on the scalloped hindwing, and rainbow details along the inner edge of the dorsal side forewing!! They are also the only skipper in New Jersey with long tails extending out from their hindwings.
October 2016
I’ve only found this species 2 times way back in 2016 as individuals were feeding on the abundant fields of seaside goldenrod. This individual had one of the tails missing - I always wondered how that happened!!
