Wednesday in the garden: Long-tailed Skipper butterfly

Skippers are a family of butterflies named for their fast, erratic, darting flights. Most of them are small to medium-sized insects with stout, hairy bodies, and relatively small wings. The ones that frequent our temperate zones are mostly drab in appearance and easily overlooked, although in the more tropical zones, some skippers are quite flamboyant in appearance.

Because of their small size, drab appearance, and erratic flights, they can be difficult to identify. That is, unless they have some outstanding characteristic that can not be overlooked.

Meet the Long-tailed Skipper.





   
This butterfly is small, with a wingspan of no more than 1 1/2 to 2 inches, and it is quite drab when seen from the side, but if you can manage to get a dorsal view of the body and wing bases you will see a wonderful almost iridescent green. 

But, of course, it is the eponymous long hindwing tails that make it instantly recognizable. 

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