Lilac-banded Longtail Skipper - female laying eggs

Description:

Females lay eggs under leaves in small clusters up to 20. Long-tailed skipper caterpillars are considered to be a pest in some areas because the caterpillars feed on & roll themselves in leaves of beans and ornamentals such as Wisteria.

Habitat:

Southeastern U.S. south to Argentina. Strays north to northern California, southern Arizona, southern Missouri, and southern Georgia. Roadsides, overgrown fields, edges of woods, clearings and along trails in hardwood hammocks. Host plants: Legumes including wild and cultivated beans (Phaseolus), beggar's ticks (Desmodium), and blue peas (Clitoria).