| Tailed orange | |
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| In Jamaica | |
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| Species: | E. proterpia |
| Binomial name | |
| Eurema proterpia (Fabricius, 1775) | |
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Eurema proterpia, the tailed orange, is a North and South American butterfly in the family Pieridae.
The upperside of the wings is orange with a variable amount of black along the forewing costa. [1] The wing veins are lightly marked with black in summer individuals, and winter individuals have no black veins. Males reflect UV light on their upper sides, and some females can be white. [2] The underside of the wings varies depending on the season. Summer individuals are yellow orange with the hindwing slightly pointed. Winter individuals are brown with darker brown markings with the hindwing being much more pointed. [1] The wingspan measures 1+1⁄4 to 1+3⁄4 inches (32–44 mm). [3]
The only similar species in the tailed orange's range is the sleepy orange ( Eurema nicippe ).
The sleepy orange has a black forewing cell spot on the upperside, the upperside of the hindwing has a black marginal border, and the hindwing is not pointed. [1]
The tailed orange lives in a variety of open habitats such as open woodlands, deserts and subtropical habitats. [2] [3]
This species may be found from mid-July to early January in Arizona, from August to November in Texas, and all year round in Mexico. [2] [3]
Males patrol all day in search of females. [2] The larva is bright yellow green with a yellow lateral stripe. [4]
Host plants of the tailed orange include:
Eurema hecabe, the common grass yellow, is a small pierid butterfly species found in Asia, Africa and Australia. They are found flying close to the ground and are found in open grass and scrub habitats. It is simply known as "the grass yellow" in parts of its range; the general term otherwise refers to the entire genus Eurema.
The Zabulon skipper is a North American butterfly first described by the French naturalists Jean Baptiste Boisduval and John Eatton Le Conte from the state of Georgia, United States.
Catopsilia pyranthe, the mottled emigrant, is a medium-sized butterfly of the family Pieridae found in south Asia, southeast Asia, and parts of Australia.
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Boloria bellona, the meadow fritillary, is a North American butterfly in the brushfoot family, Nymphalidae. The common name, meadow fritillary, is also used for a European butterfly species, Melitaea parthenoides.
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Euptoieta claudia, the variegated fritillary, is a North and South American butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. Even though the variegated fritillary has some very different characteristics from the Speyeria fritillaries, it is still closely related to them. Some of the differences are: variegated fritillaries have two or three broods per year vs. one per year in Speyeria; they are nomadic vs. sedentary; and they use a wide range of host plants vs. just violets. And because of their use of passionflowers as a host plant, variegated fritillaries also have taxonomic links to the heliconians. Their flight is low and swift, but even when resting or nectaring, this species is extremely difficult to approach, and, because of this, its genus name was taken from the Greek word euptoietos meaning "easily scared".
Euptoieta hegesia, the Mexican fritillary, is a North and South American butterfly in the family Nymphalidae.
Autochton cellus, the golden banded-skipper, is a North and Central American butterfly in the family Hesperiidae. There are two populations, one in the eastern United States and the other in the southwestern United States and Mexico. The eastern population is rare and local and uses only one host plant, the thicket bean. The southwestern population is uncommon to common and uses more than one host plant. The golden banded-skipper is most active mid-morning and late afternoon. Their flight is sluggish and low to the ground, compared to closely related species.
Ancyloxypha numitor, the least skipper, is a North American butterfly in the family Hesperiidae. They have a weak, Satyrinae-like flight.
Polites themistocles, the tawny-edged skipper, is a North American butterfly in the family Hesperiidae.
Danaus eresimus, the soldier or tropical queen, is a North American, Caribbean, and South American butterfly in the family Nymphalidae.
Eurema mexicana, the Mexican yellow, sometimes called the wolf-face sulphur, is a North and South American butterfly in the family Pieridae. It occurs mainly in Mexico but occasionally is found in central and southwestern United States and rarely in Canada.
Papilio brevicauda, the short-tailed swallowtail, is a North American butterfly in the family Papilionidae.
Chlosyne lacinia, the bordered patch or sunflower patch, is a North and South American butterfly in the family Nymphalidae.
Callophrys henrici, the Henry's elfin or woodland elfin, is a North American butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. In Canada it is found from southern Manitoba to southern Nova Scotia. It has two main groups of populations in the United States; the first is found along the Atlantic Coast and uses various hollies (Ilex) as host plants; and the second is found mainly in the north and the Appalachians where they use redbud as a host plant. Henry's elfin is increasing in New England because of an introduced buckthorn it now uses as a host plant. It is listed as a species of special concern in the US state of Connecticut.
Papilio palamedes, the Palamedes swallowtail or laurel swallowtail, is a North American butterfly in the family Papilionidae.
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Chlorostrymon simaethis, the silver-banded hairstreak, is a North and South American butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It is also known as St. Christopher's hairstreak and the Key lime hairstreak.
Eurema boisduvaliana, commonly known as Boisduval's yellow, is a butterfly in the family Pieridae. It is found from Costa Rica north to Mexico. Rare strays may be found in southern Florida, but it is a regular migrant to south-eastern Arizona, south-western New Mexico, and southern Texas. The habitat consists of subtropical forests and forest edges, scrubs, roadsides and pastures.