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Mottled Longtail (Typhedanus undulatus [Hewitson])
Wing span: 1 5/8 - 1 7/8 inches (4.2 - 4.8 cm).
Identification: Hindwing with a long tail. Wings are dark brown. Underside of hindwing is striated with broken black lines.
Life history: Early stages are not reported. Males perch on hilltops to await receptive females.
Flight: August-October in South Texas, December-May in the tropics.
Caterpillar hosts: Sennas (Cassia species) in the pea family (Fabaceae).
Adult food: Flower nectar.
Habitat: Arid chaparral.
Range: Argentina north through tropical America to Mexico. Occasionally strays to the lower Rio Grande Valley, Texas.
Conservation: Not necessary for a rare stray.
The Nature Conservancy Global Rank: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management needs: None reported.
References:
Opler, P. A. and V. Malikul. 1992. A field guide to eastern butterflies. Peterson
field guide #4. Houghton-Mifflin Co., Boston. 396 pages, 48 color plates.
Scott, J. A. 1986. The butterflies of North America. Stanford University Press,
Stanford, Calif. 583 pages, 64 color plates.
Author: Jane M. Struttmann
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 1999 -
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