The Long-tailed Skipper is a large, strikingly beautiful skipper with iridescent blue-green body and wing bases and long, elegant hindwing tails. It is a strong seasonal migrant in the Southeast and can be common in gardens during fall. Larvae are known as bean leaf rollers and can be a minor agricultural pest.
Best time to see a Long-tailed Skipper
The best time to see a Long-tailed Skipper is August–October, when about 71% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 22,497 research-grade iNaturalist observations.
Not certain it is a Long-tailed Skipper? What bug is this? walks through what to check first and the lookalikes that catch people out.
Recent Long-tailed Skipper sightings near you
Live, research-grade observations from iNaturalist. Allow location to center the map on you.
Spotted a Long-tailed Skipper?
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