Long-tailed Skipper - Hesperidae Perginae Urbanus proteus - Live  Adults
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IMMATURES

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Female just after emerging from pupa on 28 October 2012
female just after emerging


Close-up
legs


Close-up
head close-up



PHOTO DETAILS - ©Nicky Davis
LOCATION: #1 female located by Marc Minno, 1 September 2012, Gainesville, Alachua County, Florida, USA
# 2 through 20 -  Jeff Slotten located female 16 September, 2012, Gainesville, Alachua County, Florida, USA

ELEVATION:  about 183 feet

PHOTOS:
Ovum from female located 16 September
#1 First instar 9 September 2012 - 3 mm -  from female located 1 September 2012 (4 days as 1st I.S)
#1 Nest -
from female located 1 September 2012
#1 Molted to Second Instar on 13 September 2012 - from female located 1 September 2012
#1 Molted to Third Instar on  17 September, photo 18 September 2012 - from female located 1 September 2012.
 Seven mm on 18 September 2012. Eleven mm long on 21 September 2012 at 7 P.M.

#1 lateral view - Molted to Fourth Instar before 3 P.M. 23 September 2012 - from female located 1 September 2012.
#1 dorsal view - Fourth Instar
#1 Fourth Instar resting in its "tent"
#1 Molted to Fifth Instar 30 September and photo taken on 2 October - Fifth Instar  - walking back to "tent"
#1  Fifth Instar - turned onto the stem  to go back to the "tent" -  25 mm long
#1 Fifth Instar on 10 October, 35 mm long.
#1 Female  prepupa - stopped feeding 11 October 2012, changed color, became wider and shorter - 27 mm

#4 Male Fifth Instar on 9 October 2012.

#1 Female -  Pupa formed  13 October 2012 - Photo on 14 October 2012

LIFE HISTORY:

Ovum:   Although other sources report eggs in clusters, these were oviposited singly on leaves of  Desmodium paniculatum and took about 4- 6 days to hatch.

Larva:  According to the University of Florida IFAS Extension the larvae feed at night.  These I reared fed during the night and  day. A small "bouquet" using a film cartridge as the container was placed in a plastic tub with a wet paper towel in the bottom and another plastic tub over the top to retain humidity and heat.  #2- #20 were kept at 80-85 degrees fahrenheit and under light for 14 hours per day.  #1 was kept at that temperature and day length only after molting to fifth instar. #1 was kept at 75 degrees and 12 hours light for first through fourth instar.  #1 fed a total of  32 days  and grew from 3 mm to a maximum of 35 mm on 11 October 2012.
Of the larvae kept at 80-85 degrees  three fed 25 days, seven fed 26 days, two fed 27 days and 3 fed 28 days.  The shorter feeding time was necessary since the host plant in this area will be freezing soon.

Pupa: 

Adult:  life expectancy unknown

Broods: 2 or 3

Hibernation:  According to the University of Florida  IFAS Extension the adults can be seen migrating southward in the fall.  They are unable to survive  in areas with prolonged freezing temperatures.
 
Host Plants: located on Desmodium paniculatum, oviposited on Desmodium paniculatum, Reared on Robinia neomexicana



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