Esmeralda Longtail (Urbanus esmeraldus [Butler])
Wing span: 1 3/8 - 1 5/8 inches (3.5 - 4.2 cm).
Identification: Long tails. Upperside is dark blackish brown; body and wing bases are iridescent blue-green. Males have a costal fold enclosing scent scales on the forewing. Dark row on hindwing underside consists of separate spots.
Life history: Eggs are laid on young leaves of the host plant, which caterpillars eat.
Flight: Many flights from April-October in Mexico; August in South Texas.
Caterpillar hosts: Beggar's ticks (Desmodium).
Adult food: Flower nectar.
Habitat: Open subtropical woods and edges.
Range: Brazil and Paraguay north through the tropics to Mexico. A rare stray north to the lower Rio Grande Valley, Texas.
