Diet

• Caterpillars feed on legumes (Fabaceae).

• Larvae construct shelters by folding or fastening leaves with silk and feed from within these retreats.

• Adults feed on flower nectar.

Range

• Spicauda simplicius has a broad Neotropical range from northern Mexico through Central America and South America to northern Argentina.

• It occurs in Guerrero and is found in the Zihua area.

Habitat

• It is particularly associated with open and disturbed habitats, including fields, pastures, roadsides, forest clearings and secondary vegetation.

• It can also occur within closed forest where suitable host plants are present.

• In the Zihua area, sunny openings, tropical dry-forest edges and areas with leguminous vines provide suitable habitat.

Description

• A medium-sized long-tailed skipper with a wingspan of approximately 38–50 mm.

• The wings are predominantly plain brown, with the forewing lacking the conspicuous white or translucent apical spots seen in several related Spicauda.

• The hindwings have two long, narrow tails, giving the butterfly its characteristic long-tailed appearance.

• The underside is also predominantly brown, with subtle pale markings and a darker spot near the costa of the hindwing.

• There is little obvious sexual dimorphism, and males and females are generally similar in appearance.