Dorantes Longtail (Urbanus dorantes)

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DISTRIBUTION in North Carolina: Six records scattered across the state. This is a southern species, found primarily north to northern Florida and Texas. It is expanding its range northward, having been found a few years ago in South Carolina, and there were several reports in Georgia in 1998. It has recently (2000?) been found in Virginia, as well (Harry Pavulaan, pers. comm.).
ABUNDANCE in North Carolina: A recent "arrival" to the state, with five records in 1998-1999, and one in 2004. Thus, a very rare to casual migrant now.
FLIGHT PERIOD in North Carolina: Dates of four records fall between early July and early October; the other two are not known. Remarkably, two of the records are from October 3, and both were seen by Harry LeGrand, Jr. at the NC State University arboretum, five years apart! The species flies all year in southern Florida, but records for northern Florida are mainly in late summer and fall.
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Distribution, abundance, flight period, and map information provided by Notes on the Butterflies of North Carolina.