Long-tailed skipper
Its caterpillars roll bean and legume leaves into silk-tied shelters and feed hidden inside, a habit that gives the species its nickname, bean leaf roller.
| Where | Gardens, fields and woodland edges |
|---|---|
| Size | 40 to 59 mm wingspan |
| When | July to December |
The Long-tailed skipper is a dark brown, thick-bodied skipper with a metallic blue-green sheen across the head, thorax and wing bases, and long tails trailing from each hindwing; its wingspan runs about 40 to 59 mm.
Caterpillars feed on beans, peas and other legumes, rolling leaves into shelters sealed with silk where they stay hidden by day. Adults fly with fast, erratic wingbeats and visit flowers such as thistle and lantana for nectar.
Traits
Habitat
Garden
Colour
Brown, Green, Metallic
Active
Day
To people
Its caterpillars are a minor garden pest on beans; harmless to people.
Activity through the year
Often confused with
Is plain brown without the Long-tailed skipper's iridescent blue-green sheen across the thorax and wing bases.
Questions
Is the Long-tailed skipper dangerous to people?
Its caterpillars are a minor garden pest on beans; harmless to people.
When can you see the Long-tailed skipper?
The Long-tailed skipper can be seen from July to December, by day.
Plate retouched from a photo by Ricard Busquets Reverte, CC BY 4.0, iNaturalist Licence
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Butterflies and moths›Skippers›Urbanus
Last updated 2026-09-27. Every entry is checked against published sources.