Florida Beggar-weed and Long-tailed Skippers

Often known as a very pesky weed, Florida Beggar-weed (Desmodium tortuosum) is a member of the pea family and a common site in Tampa Bay. Often found growing in yards, in fields of crop and in road margins, this hardy weed spreads itself freely through the use of incredibly sticky seeds.

Any person or animal that has brushed by Beggar-weed has found themselves covered with seedpods that stick to hair and clothing. Later these seedpods get brushed off or pulled off and deposited elsewhere helping this drought tolerant plant to flourish in a new site.

Besides just being annoying, Florida Beggar-weed does have one particularly useful feature: it is a host for Long-tailed Skipper (Urbanus proteus) and Dorantes Skippers (Urbanus dorantes). Because the plant is so widespread, these skippers are able to Flourish in the Tampa Bay area since one of their food plants is so readily available.

The Long-tailed Skipper is a spread-wing skipper that hosts on peas and beans and is also known as the Bean Leaf-roller as the caterpillars use silk to roll leaves of their host plants into tubes to serve as protective shelters from predators. If you have ever grown beans or peas you have likely dealt with these larvae.

If you love caterpillars but want to raise some vegetables at the same time, it can be handy to have some Florida Beggar-weed around. Caterpillars on your vegetables can be transferred to the weed plant with ease and you have have your bugs and eat your beans too.