Tailed Orange
Pyrisitia proterpia (Fabricius, 1775)
Family: Pieridae
Subfamily: Coliadinae
Identification: Two sexual and two seasonal forms. Upperside orange; tip of forewing squared off. Male with black forewing costa; females with black forewing costa, apex, and outer margin. Winter (dry-season) form with tail-like projections on hindwing; summer (wet-season) form without tails.
Wing Span: 1 3/4 - 2 1/4 inches (4.5 - 5.7 cm).
Life History: Males patrol for females on flats and in gullies. The dry-season form is non-reproductive until the onset of the rainy season.
Flight: August-November in Texas; throughout the year in the tropics.
Caterpillar Hosts: In Texas, mesquite (Prosopis) and senna (Cassia) species; Desmodium in the tropics (all in the pea family [Fabaceae]).
Adult Food: Nectar from many species of flowers.
Habitat: Desert and subtropical open and disturbed areas including scrub, pastures, forest edges.
Range: Peru north to Mexico; Greater Antilles; strays to southern Texas, southwest New Mexico, and southeast Arizona; rarely to Nebraska and Kansas.
Conservation: Not usually required.
NCGR: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: None reported.
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 97 - 120 of 200 verified sightings
Observation date: Oct 22, 2016
Submitted by: AmyNinRoundRock
Region: Texas, Williamson County, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Oct 23, 2016
Observation date: Oct 18, 2016
Submitted by: gpstewart
Region: Texas, Williamson County, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Oct 20, 2016
Observation date: Oct 15, 2016
Submitted by: Christinalea
Region: Texas, Travis County, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Oct 16, 2016
Observation date: Nov 09, 2015
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Jul 04, 2016
Observation date: Oct 28, 2014
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: Pima County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Apr 07, 2016
Observation date: Dec 08, 2015
Submitted by: pumblebumble
Region: Bexar County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Dec 15, 2015
Observation date: Mar 06, 2015
Submitted by: LLJohnson
Region: Dominican Republic
Verified by: Doug Taron
Verified date: Dec 14, 2015
Observation date: Oct 19, 2015
Submitted by: John Peplinski
Region: Brewster County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Nov 12, 2015
Observation date: Sep 12, 2015
Submitted by: Joseph Miller
Region: Ellsworth County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Sep 14, 2015
Observation date: Sep 06, 2015
Submitted by: Martin and Sara
Region: Goliad County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Sep 11, 2015
Observation date: Jun 24, 2015
Submitted by: James Lofton
Region: Roosevelt County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 10, 2015
Observation date: Oct 28, 2014
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: Pima County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Jun 06, 2015
Observation date: Nov 10, 2014
Submitted by: Kurt R. Schwarz
Region: Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Dec 09, 2014
Observation date: Jun 24, 2013
Submitted by: LLJohnson
Region: Dominican Republic
Verified by: Doug Taron
Verified date: Jan 20, 2014
Observation date: Dec 06, 2012
Submitted by: muegge
Region: Texas, Pecos County, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Sep 05, 2013
Observation date: May 13, 2012
Submitted by: LLJohnson
Region: Dominican Republic
Verified by: Doug Taron
Verified date: Apr 16, 2013
Observation date: Apr 14, 2012
Submitted by: LLJohnson
Region: Dominican Republic
Verified by: Doug Taron
Verified date: Apr 16, 2013
Observation date: Nov 08, 2012
Submitted by: rosacmchenry@sb...
Region: Sedgwick County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Apr 05, 2013
Observation date: Aug 19, 1981
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Clifford D. Ferris)
Region: Cochise County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Dec 01, 2012
Observation date: Aug 13, 1981
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Clifford D. Ferris)
Region: Cochise County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Dec 01, 2012
Observation date: Sep 16, 2012
Submitted by: Tonia Graves
Region: Cochise County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Oct 14, 2012
Observation date: Sep 08, 2012
Submitted by: Jeff Trahan
Region: Cochise County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Sep 18, 2012
Observation date: Sep 07, 2012
Submitted by: Jeff Trahan
Region: Cochise County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Sep 17, 2012
Observation date: Jun 13, 2012
Submitted by: John van Dort
Region: Francisco Morazán, Honduras
Verified by: John van Dort
Verified date: Jun 14, 2012
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